RED 
PLUME 


Edward  S.Ellis 


UNIV.  OF  CALLf.  USHARY.  LOS  ANGELES 


RED   PLUME 


OR 


A  Friendly  Redskin 


By 

Edward  S.  Ellis 

Author  of    "Up  the  Tapafos,"  "Through  Jungle  and  Wil- 
derness,"   "Down  the  Mississippi,"   "Life  of  Kit 
Carson,"    "Lost  in  Samoa,"    "A    Waif 
in  the  Mountains,"  Etc. 


CHICAGO: 
M.   A.    DONOHUE   &    Co. 


Copyrighted  1900 

%  THB  MBRSHON  G 

Copyrighted  1902 
K^'  THOMPSON 


'-t 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

I.  THE  Sioux  OUTBREAK,      .        .        .       .       0       •  "   i 

II.  THE  CANOE  UNDER  THE  BANK,         ....  8 

III.  RED  PLUME 12 

IV.  THE  FUGITIVES  ON  THE  RIVER,         ....  17 
V.  OLD  JUD, 27 

VI.  THE  Two  SCOUTS,      .......  32 

VII.  TREACHERY,        .                41 

VIII.  THE  CONFERENCE, 46 

IX.  AN  INDIAN  STRATAGEM,     ......  53 

X.  IN  THE  WOOD,           63 

XI.  A  HEROINE 68 

XII.  COMPANIONS  DU  VOYAGE, '79 

XIII.  LOVE  AND  JEALOUSY, 86 

XIV.  THE  STRUGGLE  IN  THE  LAKE, 108 

XV.  THE  TORCH,        .        . 117 

XVI.  THE  FLAMES, 134 

XVII.  THE  FLIGHT, 142 

XVIII.  THE  MEETING,            167 

XIX.  A  KEG  OF  WHISKY, 173 

XX.  DOWN  THE  RIVER,     .        .        .        .        .        .        .  180 

XXI.  LOVE'S  LONGINGS 203 

XXII.  ON  THE  ISLAND,          .......  210 

XXIII.  MANEUVERING  FOR  POSITION, 232 

XXIV.  THE  VALE  OF  SHADOWS,    ......  250 

XXV.  RED  PLUME'S  PRISONER,    ......  259 

XXVI.  THF  RETURN  SHOT, 276 

iii 


2129221 


IV 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

XXVIL  THE  QUAKER'S  WOOING,         . 

XXVIII.  AN  UNSUCCESSFUL  WOOING,    . 

XXIX.  THE  RAFT,      .... 

XXX.  ADRIFT,    .        .        .       *       . 

XXXI.  DOWN  THE  RIVER,  .        . 

XXXII.  Sioux  VERSUS  Sioux,      .       . 

XXXIII.  RED  PLUME'S  JOURNEY,  .       . 

XXXIV.  THE  OVERLAND  ROUTE, 
j.  IXXXV.  THE  PRAIRIE  FIGHT, 

XXXVI.  THE  LAST  STRUGGLE  FOR  LIFE, 

XXXVII.  THE  END, 


CHAPTER  I 

THE   SIOUX    OUTBREAK 

IT  came  about  that  in  the  summer  of  1862.  when 
many  friends  of  the  Union  almost  despaired  of  tne  suc- 
cess of  our  arms,  and  the  most  important  battles  in  the 
field  had  gone  against  us,  that  a  vicious  outbreak  oc- 
curred among  the  Sioux  Indians  of  Minnesota.  These 
people,  known  also  as  the  Dakotas,  are  the  most  power- 
ful tribe  on  the  continent,  and  for  a  time  they  spread 
death  and  destruction,  and  caused  a  reign  of  terror 
over  a  large  portion  of  one  of  the  fairest  States  of  the 
Union. 

The  outbreak  occurred  in  the  month  of  August,  and 
was  so  sudden  that,  as  is  generally  the  case,  hundreds 
of  settlers  were  caught  wholly  unprepared.  Recruit- 
ing for  the  Union  armies  was  going  on  at  the  time,  and 
after  awhile,  when  other  troops  had  been  sent  into  the 
State,  the  revolt  was  quelled  and  summary  punishment 
visited  upon  the  most  guilty 

Near  the  central  part  of  Minnesota  is  a  romantic 
sheet  of  water  about  three  miles  in  length,  known  as 


a  THE  RED  PLUME 

Man-yo-han  or  Sleeping  Water.  On  one  shore  stood 
the  dwelling  of  grim  old  Captain  Swarthausen,  a  vet- 
eran, who  was  at  home  just  recovered  from  a  wound 
received  on  the  Peninsula.  He  had  no  family  of  his 
own,  his  housekeeper  being  Mrs.  Muggins,  whose  hus- 
band looked  after  outside  matters.  The  captain's 
nephew,  George  Havens,  was  fighting  the  battles  of  his 
country  with  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake  was  the  home  of 
John  Fielding,  a  young  Quaker,  and  his  negro  servant 
Pompey.  The  two  were  actively  preparing  the  house 
for  the  parents  of  Fielding,  who  intended  to  remove 
thither  from  Philadelphia  in  the  coming  autumn. 
Close  at  hand,  was  the  residence  of  the  Prescotts,  in- 
cluding the  head  of  the  family,  Hugh,  who  was  a 
wealthy  consumptive,  his  wife,  two  daughters,  Lillian 
and  Edith,  and  two  negro  servants,  Cato  and  Elijah,  or 
"  Lige,"  as  he  was  always  called.  Dinah,  the  cook, 
was  the  mother  of  Cato,  who  naturally  was  her  pet  and 
pride. 

It  so  happened  that  on  this  memorable  day  in  Au- 
gust, the  Prescott  household  was  increased  by  still  an- 
other in  the  person  of  Augustus  Pipkins,  a  Chicago 
insurance  clerk,  and  cousin  of  the  young  ladies,  whose 
most  puzzling  problem,  after  his  visit  had  lasted  several 
days,  was  to  determine  which  of  the  fair  sisters  he  ad- 
mired the  most. 

The  Sioux  outbreak  reached  Sleeping  Water  in  a 
most  peculiar  manner.  The  younger  members  of  the 


THE  RED  PLUME  5 

Prescott  household  had  gone  for  a  sail  on  the  lake,  and 
the  three  lusty  negro  servants  were  lazily  fishing  on  the 
banks  of  the  lake,  when  a  dozen  Indians,  in  their  war 
paint  and  fully  armed,  came  from  the  wood  as  silently 
as  so  many  shadows  and  made  all  three  prisoners. 

It  need  not  be  said  that  there  was  consternation,  for 
no  one  expected  mercy,  but  the  incident  was  accom- 
panied by  another  whose  full  significance  was  not  un- 
derstood until  sometime  afterward.  One  of  the  Sioux, 
known  as  Jarrik,  an  under  chief,  greeted  the  negro 
Lige  with  a  grin,  and,  taking  him  to  one  side,  talked 
with  him  in  broken  English.  In  truth,  the  two  were 
old  acquaintances,  and  the  African,  surly  and  reserved 
by  nature,  had  furnished  the  chief  more  than  once  with 
whiskey. 

While  Cato  and  Pompey  were  bewailing  their  fate, 
Lige  suddenly  made  a  break  for  liberty,  heading 
straight  for  the  Prescott  house,  where  young  Fielding 
had  gone.  Several  shots  were  fired  at  the  fugitive, 
but  they  must  have  been  poorly  aimed,  for  he  was  un- 
touched, and  being  admitted  by  Mr.  Prescott,  told  his 
startling  story,  whose  full  meaning  was  instantly  un- 
derstood by  all. 

Meanwhile  Captain  Swarthausen  had  exchanged 
shots  a  short  time  before  with  the  same  party  of  ma- 
rauders, so  that  he  knew  what  was  in  the  air. 

The  house  in  which  Mr.  Prescott  and  his  family  had 
dwelt  during  the  last  two  years,  was  partly  an  exotic 
and  partly  a  native  of  Minnesota. 


4  THE  RED  PLUME 

In  the  first  place  he  had  had  a  neat  little  one-story 
cottage  made  in  St.  Louis.  When  this  was  put  up  in 
proper  shape,  he  had  it  taken  down  and  set  up  again  on 
the  shore  of  Sleeping  Water  Lake,  it  going  through  an 
experience  very  similar  to  the  habitation  of  Captain 
Swarthausen. 

It  had  stood  here  but  a  short  time  when  he  discov- 
ered that  it  was  altogether  inadequate  to  his  wants.  So 
he  brought  carpenters  and  masons  from  the  nearest  set- 
tlement, and  erected  an  addition  so  large  and  roomy 
that  it  was  really  the  main  building,  being  two  stories 
in  height,  cut  up  into  convenient  apartments,  and  con- 
structed in  the  best  style  possible. 

That  portion  of  this  house  which  migrated  from  St. 
Louis,  of  course  was  simply  frame,  which  barely  pro- 
tected them  from  freezing  during  the  first  fearful  win- 
ter that  they  spent  in  their  new  home.  To  prevent  the 
recurrence  of  their  suffering,  every  part  of  the  building 
was  "  filled  in  "  with  stone,  and  the  red  pipestone  clay, 
which  is  so  plentiful  in  this  State. 

At  the  same  time  Mr.  Prescott  did  not  forget  that  his 
family  incurred  some  danger  in  this  solitude.  Not  that 
he  ever  dreamed  of  passing  through  anything  like  the 
Minnesota  Massacre,  for,  had  he  believed  such  a  catas- 
trophe possible,  he  would  have  been  the  last  man  to  re- 
move his  defenceless  ones  to  their  new  home;  but  he 
knew  that  there  were  wild  animals,  which,  when  driven 
by  hunger,  were  daring  and  ferocious;  and  evil  men 
sometimes  tramped  through  the  border  counties,  and 
were  not  the  most  pleasant  companions  to  encounter. 


THE  RED  PLUMB  J 

With  these  facts  staring  him  in  the  face,  his  house 

was  built.  All  the  lower  windows  were  protected  by 
massive  wooden  shutters,  and  the  doors  were  bullet- 
proof, and  secured  by  such  a  series  of  bolts  and  locks 
that  it  was  far  easier  for  a  man  to  cut  and  hack  his  way 
in  than  to  burst  them  from  their  fastenings,  or  to  suc- 
ceed in  picking  the  locks  and  bolts. 

Of  course  this  building,  although  the  strongest  one 
that  stood  along  the  lake,  was  not  a  fort,  and  could  not 
be  made  to  answer  for  one.  It  was  vulnerable  from  al- 
most any  direction,  and  the  dry,  seasoned  pine  which 
entered  largely  into  its  composition  made  it  as  com- 
bustible as  touch  wood.  The  flames  could  be  easily 
started,  and  when  once  under  way  would  rage  with  re- 
sistless fury. 

Then  there  were  no  means  to  stand  a  siege,  even  if 
the  element  of  fire  should  not  be  employed  by  the  In- 
dians. There  was  a  small  quantity  of  food  in  the  house, 
and  not  enough  water  to  last  more  than  a  few  days. 

The  Sioux  really  could  not  have  chosen  a  more  fa- 
vorable time  to  attack  the  settlers.  Captain  Swarthau- 
sen  was  shut  up  in  his  own  building,  not  only  unable  to 
get  out  and  render  any  assistance,  but  sorely  needing  it 
himself.  Pipkins  and  his  two  cousins  were  on  the  other 
side  of  the  lake,  while  the  two  negroes  were  already 
prisoners  in  the  hands  of  their  enemies. 

The  forces  were  scattered  and  divided,  and  a  half 
dozen  Sioux,  with  a  little  circumspection,  could  fall 
upon  them  in  detail  and  destroy  them  all. 


6  THE  RED  PLUME 

Captain  Swarthausen  and  Mr.  Prescott  could  be 
easily  burned  out,  Pipkins  and  the  girls  were  defence- 
less, and  could  not  hope  long  to  escape  discovery,  so 
that  so  far  as  human  foresight  was  concerned,  there 
could  be  but  one  result  to  this  expedition  of  the  red- 
skins. 

The  barn  belonging  to  the  Prescott  house  was  situ- 
ated within  a  stone's  throw,  directly  back  of  it.  Noth- 
ing could  prevent  the  Indians  from  entering  and  firing 
this,  and  should  the  wind  blow  toward  the  lake,  the 
house  would  be  certain  to  follow  its  fate. 

Indeed  the  sagacious  Quaker  had  detected  unmis- 
takable signs  of  the  Sioux  having  already  ensconced 
themselves  there ;  but,  as  there  was  not  a  breath  of  air 
stirring — the  zephyr  which  had  wafted  the  boat  across 
the  lake  having  entirely  died  away — there  was  little 
fear  of  a  conflagration  breaking  out  at  present. 

The  long  summer  afternoon  was  wearing  away,  and 
night — dreaded  night — the  time  when  the  treacherous 
red  man  steals  to  his  work,  was  close  at  hand. 

The  sky  was  clear,  but  the  moon  was  in  its  last  quar- 
ter, and  afforded  so  faint  a  light,  that  there  was  good 
cause  for  our  beleaguered  friends  to  fear  the  worst.  No 
one  dared  hope  that  their  enemies  would  remain  idle 
during  the  favorable  darkness  so  close  at  hand. 

It  was  not  strange  that  two  men  should  come  into 
the  thoughts  of  the  whites — two  men  whom,  of  all  oth- 
ers, they  longed  to  see. 

These  were  Red  Plume,  a  friendly  Sioux,  and  Jubal 


THE  RED  PLUME  7 

jjudkins,  or  "  Old  Jud,"  as  he  was  more  generally 
known.  These  strange  characters  were  companions 
who  had  often  visited  the  Lake  settlements,  and  had  al- 
ways received  such  hospitable  treatment,  that  they 
formed  a  strong  attachment  for  the  settlers,  and  both 
Lillian  and  Edith  had  been  the  recipients  of  many  curi- 
ous mementoes  and  trophies  of  the  chase  from  their 
dusky  friend,  and  his  hardly  less  dusky  comrade. 

Was  it  not  more  than  probable  that  these  men  knew 
of  the  uprising  of  the  Sioux?  And  if  they  did,  would 
they  not  appear  on  the  ground  in  time  to  befriend  their 
imperilled  friends. 

These  were  the  questions  which  suggested  them- 
selves, and  to  which  Captain  Swarthausen,  Mr.  Pres- 
cott  and  Fielding  could  not  fail  to  give  favorable  an- 
swers. 

As  yet  none  of  them  had  any  idea  that  Red  Plume 
,was  already  on  the  scena  of  action,  and  was  just  getting 
to  work.  It  was  "  Greek  against  Greek,"  and  there  was 
to  be  no  child's  play. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  CANOE  UNDER  THE  BANK 

EVERYTHING  within  the  Prescott  house  was  speedily 
put  in  the  best  condition  for  defence.  Mrs.  Prescott, 
quiet,  calm  and  self-possessed,  never  speaking  above  an 
ordinary  conversational  tone,  moved  hither  and  thither, 
carrying  her  great  grief  with  her,  and  doing  the  hun- 
dred little  things  which  are  none  the  less  necessary,  and 
inspiring  confidence  by  her  freedom  from  the  appear- 
ance of  anything  like  despair. 

Dinah  had  an  immense  kettle  of  water  boiling  on  the 
stove. 

"  All  I  wants  is  de  chance,"  said  she,  in  explanation, 
"  and  if  I  doesn't  scald  some  of  dem  niggers — dat's  all. 
Ef  dey  don't  bring  my  baby  back,  I'll  bile  'em  all." 

There  were  four  rifles  in  the  house,  and  an  abun- 
dance of  ammunition.  Prescott  and  Fielding,  as  a  mat- 
ter of  course,  were  each  provided  with  one,  although  it 
was  to  be  remarked  that  the  young  Friend  thus  far  had 
remained  true  to  his  faith  and  had  not  discharged  his 
weapon,  although  the  opportunity  of  effectually  doing 
so  had  not  been  lacking.  -f 

Lige  was  also  given  £  gun,  and  he  seemed  eager  for 
a  chance  to  help  punish  the  marauders. 

8 


THE  RED  PLUME  9 

"  All  I  wants  is  de  chance,"  said  he,  "  and  I'll  pay 
'em  for  takin'  Pomp  and  Cato,  and  'sultin'  me." 

"  I  don't  doubt  it,"  replied  Mr.  Prescott ;  "  do  your 
duty,  Lige,  for  you  can  see  that  our  safety  is  yours,  and 
if  you  behave  like  a  man  I  will  not  forget  you." 

"  Yes,  sah,"  was  the  hearty  response. 

When  Mrs.  Prescott  came  to  the  upper  story,  and 
took  the  position  assigned  her,  the  whole  four  sides  of 
the  house,  or  more  properly  the  different  directions 
from  which  an  assault  of  the  Indians  was  possible,  were 
under  the  surveillance  of  those  within  the  building. 

There  were  really  but  the  two  points  from  which 
they  looked  for  danger — the  rear  toward  the  barn,  and 
the  west,  but,  as  apparently  the  most  unlikely  points 
were  aptest  to  be  the  very  ones  selected  by  the  redskins, 
Fielding  counselled  all  to  relax  none  of  their  vigilance 
for  an  instant. 

In  the  meantime,  the  young  Friend  had  taken  his 
station  at  an  upper  window,  which  commanded  an  un- 
obstructed view  of  the  lake,  and  with  a  small  but  pow- 
erful field-glass,  was  anxiously  searching  for  the  sail 
boat  in  which  Pipkins  and  his  cousins  had  set  out  upon 
their  pleasure  excursion. 

"  Verily  there  is  danger  on  every  hand,"  he  mut- 
tered, as  simultaneous  with  the  spiteful  crack  of  a  rifle, 
the  bullet  cut  a  clean  hole  through  the  window  pane, 
and  passed  within  an  inclr^>f  his  face.  "  It  behooves 
me  to  be  more  careful." 

Moving  a  short  distance  back,  he  succeeded  in  pro- 


10  THE  RED  PLUME 

tecting  his  face,  while  he  retained  the  same  view  of  the 
lake  as  before. 

He  first  ran  his  eye  rapidly  over  the  water  and  shore 
and  along  the  island  near  its  centre,  but  not  a  sign  of 
life  was  visible.  Everything  was  drowsy  and  seem- 
ingly at  rest  on  this  hazy  afternoon. 

The  yellow  pine  of  Captain  Swarthausen's  little  cot- 
tage could  be  partly  seen  through  the  shrubbery,  but 
that  too  was  silent,  and  devoid  of  all  appearance  of  life. 

The  broad,  silvery  head  of  the  Crescent  River,  where 
it  started  on  its  wanderings  for  the  Arctic  Sea,  was  the 
only  break  in  the  wall  of  green  vegetation  which  en- 
compassed Sleeping  Water. 

Failing  to  see  anything  with  the  naked  eye,  Fielding 
raised  his  glass  and  scrutinized  the  distant  land  with  a 
closer  gaze.  He  at  first  directed  it  toward  Captain 
Swarthausen's  cottage,  and  plainly  discerned  the  form 
of  an  Indian  creeping  under  the  bank,  as  if  he  were 
seeking  a  new  position.  The  Quaker  watched  him  a 
few  minutes  until  he  disappeared  in  the  undergrowth 
which  was  so  plentiful  here,  as  everywhere  else. 

He  now  directed  his  glass  toward  the  river,  and  a 
flush  lit  up  his  face  as  he  distinctly  saw  a  stealthy  move- 
ment under  the  bank. 

At  first,  even  with  the  aid  of  the  telescope,  he  was 
unable  to  make  out  what  it  was ;  but  as  it  slowly  crept 
along  under  the  partial  shelter  of  the  undergrowth,  he 
made  out  that  it  was  a  small  Indian  canoe  in  which  a 
single  person  was  seated. 

Whoever  this  individual  was,  it  was  plain  that  he  in* 


THE  RED  PLUME  II 

tended  to  conceal  his  movements,  and  so  skillfully  did 
he  manage  it,  that  when  Fielding  removed  his  glass  and 
looked  at  it  with  the  naked  eye,  he  could  detect  nothing 
at  all. 

Still  he  crept  along  until  one-fourth  the  circumfer- 
ence of  the  lake  had  been  passed,  by  which  time  the  ca- 
noe was  less  than  a  mile  distant.  Here  the  man  halted, 
as  if  fearful  of  coming  any  further. 

All  this  time  Fielding  was  doing  his  utmost  to  detect 
the  identity  of  the  stranger,  but  as  yet  he  had  not  suc- 
ceeded, for  only  a  slight  portion  of  his  body  was  re- 
vealed, and  that  only  now  and  then,  the  boat  seemingly 
impelled  by  a  power  of  its  own. 

Only  the  stern  of  the  canoe  could  now  be  seen,  and 
for  a  long  time  that  was  as  stationary  as  the  island  in 
the  centre  of  the  lake.  Then  the  Friend  distinctly  saw  a 
hunter's  cap  raised  over  the  gunwale  of  the  canoe,  and 
slowly  waved  to  and  fro,  as  one  would  swing  a  bell. 

This  was  done  only  once  or  twice,  and  then  all  was 
motionless  again;  but  it  was  enough.  The  eye  of  the 
young  man  sparkled  as  he  laid  down  his  glass,  and  he 
walked  back  and  forth  in  no  little  excitement. 

"  Most  grievpusly  am  I  mistaken,  if  that  is  not  the 
hunter  Judkins,  and  he  is  seeking  to  communicate  with 
the  man,  Red  Plume.  We  have  need  of  such  friends  as 
these." 

He  picked  up  his  glass  again,  but  at  this  moment 
Mrs.  Prescott  touched  his  shoulder,  and  whispered : 

"  I  am  afraid  something  wrong  is  going  on.  I  don't 
like  the  actions  of  Lige ;  please  come  with  me," 


CHAPTER  III 

RED  PLUME 

*'  WHAT  dost  thou  see  ?  "  asked  Fielding  without 
moving  out  of  the  room. 

"  I  think  Lige  is  signalling  to  some  one  in  the  wood." 

"  I  placed  him  there  because  I  thought  he  would  be 
less  likely  to  see  the  heathen  than  thy  husband;  but 
truly  I  was  mistaken.  Do  thou  remain  here  while  I  go 
to  him,  but  let  me  caution  thee  against  approaching  the 
window  too  close.  It  was  a  narrow  escape  I  had  from 
my  rashness." 

It  was  the  wish  of  the  young  Quaker  to  come  in  upon 
Lige  so  softly  as  to  detect  him  in  the  act,  whatever  it 
might  be,  but  the  fellow  caught  sight  of  him,  and  was 
as  mum  and  motionless  as  the  furniture  of  the  room. 

"  Hast  thou  discovered  anything?  "  he  inquired,  as 
the  African  looked  around  at  him. 

"  Nuffin." 

"  Have  seen  no  indications  of  the  heathen  ?  " 

"  Can't  'zactly  say  dat,  Mister  Fielding." 

"  Pray  what  is  it?  "  asked  the  latter,  his  conscience 
pricking  him  at  his  misjudging  the  fellow. 

"  I've  seen  two  or  free  of  dem  sneakin'  round  de 

12 


THE  RED  PLUME  13 

barn,  and  dere's  lots  of  dem  in  it.  'Spect  dor's  whar  de 
trouble  will  begin." 

"  Thou  talkest  sensibly;  keep  a  bright  look-out" 

"  Yes,  sah." 

Fielding  passed  to  the  room  of  Mr.  Prescott,  who, 
with  rifle  in  hand,  was  cautiously  peering  out  of  the 
window  commanding  the  approach  of  the  wood,  he 
having  changed  places  with  Lige,  who  had  the  rear  of 
the  house  under  his  guardianship. 

The  young  man  was  in  a  dilemma.  Fully  aware  of 
the  violent  temper  of  Mr.  Prescott,  he  dreaded  to 
arouse  it  by  awakening  his  suspicion  of  his  servant, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  it  seemed  necessary  to  put  him  on 
his  guard. 

Furthermore,  he  wished  to  place  the  negro  under 
surveillance,  without  having  him  suspect  it.  The  few 
words  of  conversation  that  had  just  passed  between 
Lige  and  Fielding  had  almost,  but  not  quite,  convinced 
the  latter  of  his  honesty,  and  he  desired  to  have  the 
point  cleared  up,  and  to  dissipate  that  dreadful  sense  of 
insecurity  which  was  constantly  creeping  over  him. 

He  exchanged  a  few  words  with  Mr.  Prescott,  inci- 
dentally mentioning  that  the  Sioux  were  undoubtedly 
scattered  and  concealed,  so  as  almost  entirely  to  sur- 
round the  house,  and  that  they  would  not  be  long  in 
discovering  an  unguarded  point. 

This  was  all  that  he  felt  safe  in  saying,  when  he  re- 
turned to  his  station;  for  he  had  a  strong  desire  to 
watch  the  movements  of  that  canoe  that  had  come  out 


14  THE  RED  PLUME 

of  Crescent  River,  and  moved  so  cautiously  around  the 
coast  of  the  lake. 

"  I  trust  thou  misjudged  thy  servant,"  said  he,  as  he 
returned  to  his  station.  "  He  seems  to  be  on  the  alert, 
and  quite  trusty." 

"  It  may  be  so,  John,  but  I  am  sorry  that  he  was  al- 
lowed to  re-enter  the  house.  I  would  rather  have  him 
on  the  outside." 

"  Do  thou  endeavor  to  look  in  upon  him  when  con- 
venient, and  if  thou  seest  anything  wrong,  instantly  ap- 
prise me  of  it." 

With  this  admonition  the  two  separated,  Mrs.  Pres- 
cott  going  to  the  end  room,  which  was  her  own  bed- 
chamber, and  was  at  the  opposite  side  of  the  house  from 
where  her  husband  was  stationed. 

Directing  his  field-glass  toward  the  point  where  he 
had  seen  the  signal  from  the  canoe,  he  was  not  a  little 
surprised  and  disappointed  to  find  that  the  latter  was 
gone. 

The  place  was  so  fixed  in  his  mind  that  he  could  not 
mistake  it,  and  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen.  Old  Jud, 
the  hunter,  had  changed  his  position  in  the  few  minutes 
during  which  Fielding  had  been  absent  from  his  post. 

The  sun  was  still  an  hour  high,  and  his  slant  rays 
penetrating  through  the  woods  in  many  places,  lit  up 
the  surface  of  the  lake,  giving  it  a  glowing  splendor 
like  unto  molten  gold. 

Turning  his  gaze  toward  the  house  of  Swarthausen, 
everything  was  seen  to  be  as  lifeless  as  if  no  living 


THE  RED  PLUME  15 

being  were  within  miles.  If  the  family  were  still  be- 
sieged, it  was  with  the  same  persistent  quiet  with  which 
the  Prescotts  themselves  were  surrounded.  The  Sioux 
were  probably  waiting  for  night,  before  striking  what 
they  intended  to  be  the  final  blow. 

Fielding  was  gazing  in  this  wandering  manner,  not 
knowing  where  to  look  for  the  canoe,  but  supposing 
that  it  had  been  drawn  so  far  up  under  the  bank  as  to 
make  it  invisible,  when  he  made  another  discovery,  that 
gave  him  greater  wonder  than  before. 

From  the  source  of  the  Crescent  River,  where  the 
lake  poured  out  its  surplus  water,  he  saw  another  boat 
issue,  following  precisely  in  the  track  of  the  canoe, 
which  had  preceded  it  by  something  over  an  hour. 

As  he  scrutinized  this,  however,  he  observed  that  it 
was  of  different  construction,  and  considerably  larger 
than  the  small  vessel,  and  like  that,  contained  but  a  sin- 
gle person. 

The  wonderment  of  the  Quaker  was  not  a  little  in- 
creased when  he  recognized  the  boat  as  the  identical 
one  in  which  Pipkins  and  the  girls  had  crossed  the  lake. 
The  sail  and  even  the  small  mast  was  gone — proof  that 
the  individual  controlling  it  was  taking  every  means  to 
avoid  observation. 

Fielding's  first  thought  was,  that  the  party  had  been 
captured,  and  this  was  one  of  their  captors  proceeding 
to  some  point  with  the  boat. 

But  he  could  not  satisfy  himself  on  this  point,  as  he 
could  think  of  no  reason  for  such  a  course  being  pur- 


Z6  THE  RED  PLUME 

sued.  There  must  be  some  other  explanation  of  the 
singular  proceeding. 

Steadily  the  large  boat  followed  in  the  wake  of  the 
smaller,  taking  precisely  the  same  course,  but  checking 
its  speed  before  it  had  proceeded  to  so  great  a  distance. 

Now  and  then  the  Friend  resumed  his  glass,  and  at- 
tempted to  follow  the  movements  of  the  'boat  with  his 
eye,  but  found  it  so  difficult  that  it  practically  amounted 
to  nothing. 

The  next  moment  the  mystery  of  the  occupant  was 
explained.  Something  red  flashed  out  upon  the  air,  and 
the  eye  of  the  Friend  sparkled  again. 

"  Verily,  it  is  Red  Plume! " 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  FUGITIVES  ON  THE  RIVER 

RED  PLUME,  the  friendly  Sioux,  had  suddenly  pre- 
sented himself  to  the  cousins  on  the  other  side  of  the 
lake  and  warning  them  to  keep  out  of  sight,  departed 
with  the  boat  to  give  what  help  he  could  to  their 
friends,  who  were  in  great  danger. 

The  sisters  sat  side  by  side.  The  face  of  the  elder 
was  blanched  with  her  great  fear,  and  she  held  her  right 
arm  around  the  waist  of  the  younger,  whose  head  was 
pillowed  on  her  shoulder,  while  her  face  was  covered 
with  her  two  hands,  pressing  her  handkerchief  as  if  to 
keep  back  the  overwhelming  sorrow. 

In  that  hour  of  supreme  woe,  the  sisters,  with  the 
trusting  faith  of  childhood,  were  sending  up  petitions 
to  the  Great  Being  for  the  safety  of  those  whom  they 
had  left  behind,  and  who  were  in  such  dire  extremity. 

Not  a  tear  moistened  the  eye  of  Edith,  who  seemed 
to  be  gazing  through  the  interstices  of  the  under- 
growth, up  the  river  and  across  the  lake  to  her  friends, 
who  in  turn  were  looking  for  her ;  but  who  shall  doubt 
the  great  woe  that  was  weighing  her  down,  and  almost 
checking  the  flow  of  the  life-current  in  her  veins? 

17 


l8  THE  RED  PLUME 

Lillian  was  swayed  like  a  leaf  in  the  tempest.  Her 
frame  quivered  and  shook,  and  the  hot  tears  dropped 
through  her  ringers,  while  she  nestled,  like  a  frightened 
bird,  closer  to  her  stronger  sister,  who  drew  her  warmly 
and  lovingly  to  her  embrace.  The  arrow  aimed  the 
highest  has  the  farthest  to  fall.  Naturally  light-hearted 
and  joyous,  with  spirits  like  the  morning  sunlight,  her 
depression  was  all  the  greater,  and  the  darkness  the 
more  gloomy,  when  the  change  did  come. 

They  sat  without  speaking,  for  what  could  either  say 
to  comfort  the  other?  There  was  but  one  Source  to 
which  they  could  look,  and  the  hearts  of  both  were 
earnestly  fixed  upon  that  blessed  Refuge. 

Pipkins  sat  at  the  other  end  of  the  boat,  now  and  then 
looking  dolefully  and  askance  at  them. 

"  Jingo,  this  is  rough !  "  he  repeated,  as  he  began  ner- 
vously searching  his  pockets.  "  My  pipe  has  gone  out, 
and  I  hain't  got  a  match." 

As  is  apt  to  be  the  case  with  those  similarly  circum- 
stanced, he  examined  each  pocket  at  least  a  half-dozen 
times,  continually  "  pulling  "  furiously  at  his  pipe,  as  if 
there  were  a  spark  lingering  somewhere  in  it. 

"  No  use,"  he  finally  exclaimed,  with  a  despairing- 
look.  "  The  pipe  is  extinguished,  and  I  hain't  a  match. 
I  say,  Edith,  you  hain't  got  such  a  thing  as  a  lucifer 
about  you  ?  " 

When  he  had  repeated  the  question  several  times  she 
merely  swayed  her  head,  without  removing  her  fixed 
gaze  from  the  direction  of  the  lake. 


THE  RED  PLUME  19 

"  I  don't  'spose  Lil  has  any?  " 

But  no  attention  was  paid  to  the  hint,  and  he  did  not 
press  it. 

"  Just  as  like  as  not  we'll  have  to  stay  here  all  night/' 
he  soliloquized ;  "  and  I'll  catch  cold,  and  be  laid  up  a 
week.  If  I  had  a  match  it  wouldn't  be  so  thundering 
bad — bless  the  Lord !  " 

All  the  time  he  was  fumbling  and  thrusting  his 
thumbs  into  his  pockets,  and  his  exclamation  was 
caused  by  his  fishing  up  the  fraction  of  a  match  with 
the  phosphorus  upon  it. 

"  Ain't  that  jolly,  now !  "  he  added,  as  he  twisted  up 
his  last  love-letter,  the  better  to  catch  the  flame.  Then 
bending  down,  so  that  his  body  and  the  two  sides  of  the 
boat  kept  away  whatever  puff  of  wind  might  be  in  the 
air,  he  carefully  struck  it  upon  the  dry,  painted  board. 

The  result  was  all  that  he  could  wish;  and,  a  few 
seconds  later,  his  head  was  enwreathed  in  the  volumes 
of  tobacco  smoke  that  issued  from  his  mouth. 

"  That  mends  things  somewhat.  Lillian,  confound 
it!  what's  the  use  of  feeling  so  bad?  " 

But  neither  of  the  sisters  paid  any  heed  to  this  prac- 
tical question ;  and,  after  surveying  them  a  moment  or 
two,  he  added : 

"  Edith,  hangnation !  what's  the  use?  If  you  keep  on 
that  way  you'll  make  me  feel  bad." 

This  he  considered  an  unanswerable  appeal;  and  it 
did  cause  his  cousin  to  turn  her  dark  eyes  reproach- 
fully upon  him. 


30  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  How  can  we  help  it?  " 

"  I  know — I  know.  But  then  cheer  up — what's  the 
use?  Try  and  keep  it  back  on  account  of  me.  If  you 
go  on  that  way  you'll  have  me  in  the  blubbering  busi- 
ness, too,  before  long." 

The  few  words  uttered  by  Edith  seemed  to  open  her 
heart,  and,  for  a  few  minutes,  her  grief  was  more  vio- 
lent in  its  manifestations  than  Lillian's;  but,  by-and-by, 
it  spent  itself  with  both,  and  they  became  more  calm 
and  composed. 

During  these  trying  moments  Augustus  Pipkins  sol- 
emnly smoked  his  meerschaum,  and  wondered  which 
was  the  shortest  route  back  to  Chicago,  and,  whether,  if 
a  favoring  breeze  should  spring  up,  it  wouldn't  be  a 
wise  plan  to  crowd  on  all  sail  down  the  river,  and  get 
out  of  this  dangerous  neighborhood. 

He  said  nothing  while  his  cousins  were  in  the  tem- 
pest of  their  grief.  When  it  had  passed  over,  and  they 
had  calmed  down  and  uncovered  their  faces,  he  ven- 
tured to  console  them  in  his  own  peculiar  way. 

"  I  don't  believe  the  folks  are  all  killed.  It  would 
take  considerable  time  for  the  Indians  to  do  that." 

"  Dolph,  how  can  you  talk  so !  "  was  the  reproving 
response  of  Edith,  who  could  scarcely  restrain  another 
outburst. 

"  I — I  meant  to  comfort  you,"  he  stammered ;  "  but 
that's  the  way  I  always  put  my  foot  in  it.  I  told  our  col- 
ored washerwoman,  when  she  was  blubbering  about  her 
little  boy  that  kicked  the  bucket,  that  she  ought  to  be 


THE  RED  PLUMB  ai 

thankful  for  it,  because,  if  he  had  lived  to  grow  up,  he 
wouldn't  have  been  anything  but  a  nigger;  and  never, 
after  that,  would  she  put  a  smitch  of  starch  in  my  shirts, 
except  just  where  I  didn't  want  it." 

"  I  wonder  whether  Red  Plume  will  get  there  soon 
enough  to  help  them  ?  "  said  Lillian,  whose  face  showed 
that  some  degree  of  hope  was  returning. 

"  I  think  so,"  replied  her  sister.  "  If — if  he  had  not, 
we  should  hear  the  shots  of  the  Indians,  and  see  the 
smoke  of  the  burning  buildings ;  but  I  haven't  heard  the 
report  of  a  gun  since  he  went  away." 

"Sh!" 

At  that  instant  the  distant  sound  of  the  rifles  fired  by 
the  Sioux,  as  Lige  rushed  into  the  house,  came  across 
the  lake,  and  penetrated  the  concealment  of  the  girls. 

"  What  does  that  mean  ?  "  asked  Lillian,  trembling 
again  with  her  nervous  fear. 

"  Oh,  that's  nothing!  "  replied  Pipkins,  still  smoking 
his  pipe.  "  I've  read  in  Cooper  that  the  redskins  fire 
promiscuously  when  they  get  a  chance,  and  it  ain't 
likely  they've  killed  more  than  one  or  two  of  your  folks ; 
but  then  Cooper  always  makes  his  females  get  shot  at 
the  last  minute,  so  we  won't  quote  him  as  authority." 

"  I  wish  old  Jud  would  come,"  added  Lillian ;  "  why 
did  I  not  think  to  ask  Red  Plume  about  him?  " 

"  They  seem  to  be  together  nearly  all  the  time,"  re- 
plied Edith. 

"  I  tell  you  what,"  said  Pipkins,  with  the  air  of  a 
man  who  was  about  to  reveal  a  tremendous  secret, 
"  I've  got  a  plan!  " 


22  THE  RED  PLUME 

He  puffed  his  meerschaum  more  vigorously  than 
ever,  while  the  cousins  looked  as  if  they  did  not  under- 
stand what  it  meant. 

"  You  have  a  plan  for  what?  "  inquired  Edith,  seeing 
that  he  was  waiting  to  be  questioned. 

"  For  our  escape.    Would  you  like  to  hear  it?  " 

Supposing  his  scheme  included  all,  he  received  an 
affirmative  reply. 

"  We  must  keep  out  of  sight  till  dark,  as  your  friend 
Red  Plume  remarked.  But  when  it  is  fairly  dark,  we'll 
hoist  sail,  and  let  her  went,  till  daylight,  when  we'll 
lie-to  till  night,  and  keep  the  thing  up  till  we  reach  some 
of  the  settlements." 

"  You  don't  mean  for  us  to  go  and  leave  father  and 
mother  behind  ?  "  asked  Lillian,  in  amazement. 

"  The  idea  exactly." 

"  You  cannot  be  in  earnest,  certainly,  Dolph  ?  " 

"  Never  more  in  earnest  in  my  life.  We  can't  help 
them  any  by  staying,  for  like  as  not  they  are  all  killed 
by  this  time — " 

"  There,  there,  don't,"  she  plead,  raising  her  hand 
and  turning  her  head,  as  if  to  ward  off  the  fearful  pro- 
posal. 

"  Beg  pardon — at  it  again,  I  see — but  what  I  wanted 
to  get  at  was,  that  it's  the  best  thing  all  around,  for  we 
can't  help  them.  If  they're  still  alive,  they've  got  their 
hands  full,  and  will  be  glad  to  get  us  out  their  way,  and 
they  won't  have  us  to  think  about — don't  you  see  ?  " 

But  neither  of  the  sisters  would  consent  for  a  mo- 


THE  RED  PLUME  23 

ment  to  any  such  movement.  It  looked  too  much  like 
desertion,  and  besides,  they  would  be  disobeying  the 
parting  injunction  of  Red  Plume,  who  certainly  ought 
to  be  able  to  give  the  best  advice  about  such  matters. 

It  was  undeniably  the  truth,  that  the  plan  of  Pipkins 
was  a  good  one.  There  was  every  prospect  of  their 
being  able  to  reach  Forest  Grove,  the  nearest  settle- 
ment, by  using  care  and  circumspection  in  their  move- 
ments ;  but,  when  the  young  man  found  that  his  scheme 
could  net  be  forced  upon  his  cousins,  he  seemed  to  feel 
that  some  explanation  was  necessary. 

"  You  see  it  ain't  myself  that  I  care  about,  girls — 
that  has  never  once  entered  my  head — but  it  is  you" 

"  We  do  not  wish  to  leave  the  vicinity  until  our  par- 
ents can  go  with  us." 

"  I  was  about  to  say  that  my  vacation  expires  this 
week,  and  if  I  expect  to  reach  Chicago  in  time,  I  ought 
to  be  on  my  way  this  very  night.  Old  Blifkins  gets  as 
mad  as  thunder  when  any  of  the  clerks  disappoint  him. 
That  is  the  only  thing  that  gives  me  any  anxiety." 

"  You  ought  to  be  home  then,  by  all  means,"  replied 
Edith.  "  Lillian  and  I  will  go  ashore  and  wait  in  the 
woods,  while  you  can  take  the  boat  and  make  a  good 
start  to-night." 

Pipkins  started,  and  looked  earnestly  at  the  speaker, 
but  her  face  was  serious,  and  his  heart  throbbed  at  the 
unexpected  hope  thus  held  out  to  him. 

He  was  seated  on  the  very  prow  of  the  boat,  so  that 
he  was  perched  quite  up  in  the  air. 


84  THE  RED  PLUME 

What  answer  he  would  have  made  to  this  proposi- 
tion, had  the  opportunity  been  given,  it  is  impossible  to 
say,  but  just  then  Lillian  started,  and  half  rose  to  her 
feet,  with  such  an  expression  of  terror  upon  her  face, 
that  Pipkins  instantly  slid  down  from  his  perch,  and 
demanded  what  the  mischief  was  now  on  hand. 

"  I  saw  an  Indian  coming  up  the  river  in  a  canoe." 

"Where?"  fairly  gasped  Pipkins,  crouching  down 
and  glaring  about  him,  as  if  there  were  instant  danger 
of  collision. 

"  It  is  a  long  way  off.  I  saw  something  move  just  in 
line  with  you.  I  took  it  to  be  an  insect  at  first,  creeping 
over  your  coat,  and  was  about  to  speak,  when  I  noticed 
that  it  was  a  canoe  coming  up  the  other  side  the  river." 

"  I  don't  see  it,"  said  the  young  man,  cautiously  look- 
ing in  the  direction  indicated  by  Lillian. 

"  Nor  I,"  added  Edith. 

"  It  has  gone ;  it  seems  to  'be  coming  along  the  shore, 
as  though  the  Indian  was  trying  to  keep  out  of  sight." 

"  If  that  is  the  case,  I  think  we  had  better  get  out  of 
this,"  said  Pipkins.  "  Let  us  get  nearer  shore  and  hide 
in  the  woods  somewhere,  till  the  savage  goes  by." 

"  Do  you  think  there  is  any  danger  of  our  being 
seen  ?  " 

"  Shouldn't  wonder,  but  I  can't  say  sure." 

Grasping  the  limbs  and  undergrowth  (the  mast  hav- 
ing been  previously  unshipped),  the  boat  was  drawn  as 
close  under  the  bank  as  was  possible. 

A  hurried  debate  followed  as  to  whether  it  was  best 


THE  RED  PLUME  25 

to  remain  where  they  were,  or  to  step  ashore,  and  go 
further  into  the  wood.  Pipkins  was  anxious  to  do  the 
latter,  and  Lillian  was  inclined  to  think  it  was  best,  but 
Edith,  with  characteristic  sense,  said  that  the  boat 

would  be  as  likely  to  be  seen,  whether  they  were  in  it  or 
not,  and  if  seen,  an  Indian  would  require  but  a  few  min- 
utes to  trace  them  through  the  woods.  Nothing,  there- 
fore, was  to  be  gained  by  leaving  the  boat. 

It  was  decided  that  each  should  keep  his  or  her  head 
below  the  gunwale,  so  as  not  to  be  seen  by  any  one  pass- 
ing, and  wait  before  raising  the  head  until  sure  that  the 
canoe  had  disappeared  around  the  bend  above. 

"  Sh !  down  "  whispered  Lillian,  "  I  see  it  again, 
only  a  little  way  off." 

Every  head  was  ducked,  and  for  the  next  five  min- 
utes, the  listeners  could  hear  the  pulsations  of  their  own 
hearts.  Then  Edith  called  the  attention  of  Pipkins  to 
the  fact  that  he  was  smoking,  and  might  betray  their 
presence  by  that  means.  Loth  to  allow  his  pipe  to  go 
out,  and  yet  sensible  of  the  risk,  he  held  it  down  in  the 
bottom  of  the  boat,  giving  it  a  slight  puff  now  and  then 
to  keep  it  from  expiring  altogether. 

Soon  the  soft  dip  of  a  paddle  could  be  heard,  and 
their  hearts  almost  stopped  beating  as  they  speedily 
learned  that  it  was  approaching. 

Still  praying  that  they  might  not  be  seen,  all  kept  si- 
lent; but  nigher  and  nigher  it  came,  until  the  rustling 
of  the  undergrowth  showed  that  the  canoe  was  close  at 
hand,  and  coming  still  closer  each  second. 


86  THE  RED  PLUME 

Hardly  conscious  of  what  he  did,  Pipkins  raised  his 
head,  and  no  pen  can  picture  his  horrified  consternation, 
as  he  saw  the  boat  less  than  a  dozen  feet  distant,  and 
heading  straight  toward  them. 


CHAPTER  V 

OLD  JUD 

"WAL,  now,  if  that  doesn't  beat  all  natur!"  ex- 
claimed a  gruff,  cheery  voice,  as  the  tiny  canoe  glided 
gracefully  beside  the  larger  boat,  and  a  grizzled,  rough 
borderer  looked  over  in  it  at  the  blanched  faces  and 
cowering  forms.  "  Thar's  my  little  Rosebud,"  he 
added,  his  homely  face  relaxing  into  a  pleased  smile,  as 
he  recognized  Lillian,  "  and  my  Queen  Edith,"  he 
added,  turning  toward  the  sister ;  "  and,  if  I  ain't  pow- 
erfully mistaken,  that's  Spider  Legs." 

It  would  be  hard  to  picture  the  relief  experienced  by 
all,  as  they  recognized  in  their  visitor,  not  some  fero- 
cious Sioux  in  his  war  paint,  but  Old  Jud,  the  hunter, 
the  very  man,  whom,  of  all  others,  they  were  longing 
to  see. 

He  shook  hands  with  them  all,  and  then  inquired 
what  was  meant  by  their  peculiar  situation.  In  a  few 
minutes  everything  was  told.  During  the  narration,  he 
sat  perfectly  motionless,  with  his  keen  gray  eyes  fixed 
upon  Edith,  as  if  he  did  not  wish  to  lose  a  word  she  ut- 
tered. 

"  Old  Jud,"  as  he  was  commonly  called,  was  a  man 
about  fifty  years  of  age,  tall,  thin  to  emaciation,  with 

27 


S8  THE  RED  PLUME 

sparse,  iron-gray  hair,  and  a  short  cropped  grizzly 
beard,  which  covered  his  face  to  his  eyes.  His  teeth 
were  as  sound  and  clear  as  pearls,  and  when  he  laughed, 
which  he  did  frequently,  by  expanding  his  broad  mouth 
into  a  still  broader  grin,  and  opening  it  without  making 
the  least  articulate  sound,  it  added  not  a  little  to  the  pre- 
possessing character  of  his  face. 

His  brows  were  heavy  and  beetling,  the  gray  eyes 
shining  beneath  like  the  watch  fires  of  the  soul.  His 
skin  was  as  brown  as  a  nut,  and  his  muscles  like  iron, 
and,  furthermore,  his  great  height  was  made  to  look 
much  greater  than  it  really  was,  by  a  decided  stoop  of 
the  shoulders. 

Such  characters  as  Jud  generally  own  a  horse  or 
a  dog,  or  more  generally  both,  but  he  owned  neither. 
What  was  certainly  rather  curious,  he  seemed  to  dis- 
like a  canine  animal,  but  regarding  the  equine,  he 
showed  no  dislike,  but  rather  indifference.  He  was  a 
sort  of  amphibious  animal.  He  reached  and  returned 
from  his  hunting  and  trapping  territory,  by  means  of 
water,  never  travelling  across  wide  stretches  of  prairie 
or  open  country,  when  on  one  of  these  expeditions,  un- 
less he  was  compelled  to  do  so ;  but  he  was  nearly  al- 
ways to  be  found  in  the  vicinity  of  some  stream,  which 
communicated  directly  with  the  navigable  rivers  below. 

Although  Pipkins  had  never  noticed  Jud,  yet  the  lat- 
ter had  "  taken  his  measure  "  some  time  before,  when 
he  had  seen  him  at  a  considerable  distance,  and  he 
formed  no  very  exalted  opinion  of  him. 


THE  RED  PLUME  39 

"  Me  and  Red  Plume  was  on  a  hunt  yesterday,"  said 
he,  in  answer  to  the  numerous  questions,  speaking  with 
a  quiet  deliberation  that  was  peculiarly  effective  in  giv- 
ing hope  and  confidence  to  his  listeners,  "  when  we  seed 
things  ahead  that  looked  rather  squally.  We  come  onto 
a  camp-fire,  about  a  dozen  miles  down  the  river,  this 
noon,  and  the  redskin  said  right  away  that  it  was  a 
party  of  his  people  on  their  way  to  the  lake.  I  wasn't 
so  sartin  of  it,  but  he  started  ahead  on  the  trail,  and  told 
me  to  hurry  along  with  the  canoe." 

"  Why  didn't  you  come  together?  "  asked  Lillian. 

"  Wai,  the  principal  reason  was  that  I  thought  as 
how  we  might  need  the  canoe.  You  see,  if  there  is 
trouble,  and  it  looks  as  though  you  folks  had  better 
leave,  we're  gwine  to  take  you  off  in  boats,  b«ing  as  it 
will  be  handier  to  manage  than  if  we  tramp  through  the 
woods." 

"Then  you  do  think  we  shall  get  away  together?" 
asked  Lillian,  her  face  all  aglow  with  the  bright  hope, 

"  That's  what  we're  going  to  try  to  do,  Rosebud,"  re- 
plied the  hunter,  his  grizzled  features  lighting  up  with 
affection  as  he  looked  upon  the  trusting  girl. 

"  And  we  are  to  wait  here  ?  "  inquired  Edith. 

"  Depend  on  it,  gals,  that  what  Red  Plume  told  you 
was  for  the  best.  There  ain't  many  things  about  the 
woods  that  that  'ere  redskin  don't  know.  What  airthly 
ase  can  you  be  there?  " 

"But  suppose  the  Sioux  withdraw,"  added  Edith, 
**  and  no  one  is  injured  in  the  house?  They  will  be  safe. 


jo  THE  RED  PLUMB 

but  how  will  it  be  with  us,  especially  if  they  find  out 
that  we  are  somewhere  in  the  woods  ?  Indeed  I  think 
they  must  know  it  already." 

"  No  doubt  about  that ;  they  couldn't  help  seeing  you 
going  across  the  lake." 

"  Then  is  not  our  situation  dangerous  ?  " 

"  You  forget  you're  hid." 

"  We  remember  that,  and  remember,  too,  that  the 
first  man  coming  up  the  river  discovered  us." 

"  That  was  your  own  fault.  I  seed  you  afore  you 
hauled  yourselves  further  under  the  bank.  Even  then  I 
wouldn't  have  got  eyes  on  you,  if  it  hadn't  been  for 
Spider  Legs  roosting  up  on  the  bow  as  if  he  were  stuck 
out  for  a  clothing  sign,  and  puffing  away  like  a  steam 
engine." 

"  You  didn't  see  the  smoke,  now,  did  you  ?  "  inquired 
Pipkins,  somewhat  red  in  the  face  at  this  "  personal 
allusion." 

"  When  you  hauled  the  boat  further  under,  and  he 
hopped  down  from  his  roost,  I  couldn't  see  hide  nor 
hair  of  you — but  all  I  had  to  do  was  to  foller  the  streak 
of  smoke,  and  that  brought  me  straight  to  the  spot." 

"  Thunder !  "  exclaimed  Pipkins,  as  he  knocked  the 
ashes  from  his  meerschaum,  "  if  that's  the  case,  I'll  shut 
up  shop." 

"  Then  we  are  to  remain  here  until  you  or  some  one 
returns?  " 

"  That's  the  idee." 
[    "  But  for  how  long?  "  asked  Lillian. 


THE  RED  PLUME  31 

"  Very  likely  till  morning.  When  we're  trying  to 
help  the  others,  I  won't  forgit  to  keep  an  eye  in  this  di- 
rection, and  somebody  will  be  along  to  see  you  by  day- 
light at  least." 

"  I  hope  they  will  be  friends,"  remarked  Pipkins, 
with  a  ghastly  grin.  "  You  see  we  haven't  got  as  much 
as  a  revolver — " 

"  What  would  you  do  with  a  revolver,  if  you  had 
it  ?"  laughed  Jud. 

"  A  man  who  has  fought  as  many  duels  as  I  have  has 
some  right  to  be  considered  a  pretty  good  shot,"  re- 
plied Pipkins,  with  a  desperate  attempt  at  bluster. 

"  If  I  get  a  chance  I'll  send  you  a  cannon  to  practice 
on,"  laughed  Jud ;  "  and  that  reminds  me  that  young 
Havens  has  come  home  rather  suddenly  to  help  put 
down  these  Sioux." 

"  Where  is  he  ?  "  asked  Lillian,  rather  more  eagerly 
than  her  cousin  liked. 

"  I  heard  he  was  down  at  Fort  Grandon,  but  it  ain't 
likely  he'll  be  able  to  git  up  here  in  time  to  be  of  any 
help.  But  it  won't  do  for  me  to  wait ;  Red  Plume  is 
expecting  me ;  and  keep  quiet — cheer  up,  and  hope  for 
the  best." 

And  with  this  parting,  the  hunter  sped  swiftly  up  the 
stream;  and,  if  ever  earnest  prayers  went  up  to  the 
Throne  of  Grace  for  the  success  of  a  daring  undertak- 
ing, they  ascended  from  the  hearts  of  the  two  sisters  a» 
their  friend  vanished  from  sight 


.     CHAPTER  VI 

THE  TWO  SCOUTS 

WE  have  already  shown  how  the  hunter  Jud,  after 
leaving  the  river,  coursed  along  the  shore  of  the  lake, 
halting  at  no  great  distance  from  the  Prescott  cottage. 

In  doing  this  his  object  was  to  communicate  with  and 
discover  his  Indian  comrade,  Red  Plume — a  delicately 
difficult  task,  when  at  the  same  time  it  was  necessary 
to  avoid  the  other  treacherous  members  of  his  race. 

His  supposition  was  that  the  friendly  Sioux  was 
either  in  the  house  or  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  and  he 
purposely  exposed  his  canoe  to  any  one  in  the  building 
who  might  be  looking  out  upon  the  water  for  him.  He 
knew  his  dusky  friend  was  expecting  his  appearance, 
and  one  glimpse  of  the  boat  would  be  sufficient ;  so  he 
cautiously  advanced  as  near  as  was  prudent,  and  then 
halted  under  the  bank. 

Whether  Red  Plume  was  in  the  house  or  not,  he 
could  not  determine.  As  yet  he  had  received  no  notifi- 
cation of  such  being  the  fact;  but,  to  make  sure,  he 
made  the  signal  we  have  described,  by  swinging  his 
hunting  cap  over  the  stern  of  the  canoe. 

Receiving  no  response  to  this,  after  waiting  a  short 
time,  he  shoved  his  boat  further  under  the  bank,  con* 


THE  RED  PLUME  33 

vinced  that  the  Sioux  had  not  succeeded  in  entering  the 
house.  It  now  remained  for  him  to  reach  him  by  some 
audible  signal,  such  as  was  in  common  use  between 
them  when  hunting. 

There  was  great  risk  in  making  an  outcry,  for  no 
matter  how  skillfully  he  might  imitate  the  call  of  some 
animal  or  bird,  it  would  be  sure  to  reach  hostile  ears 
that  would  suspect  its  meaning. 

Fortunately,  the  necessity  was  saved  him ;  for  while 
he  was  hesitating,  the  bushes  parted,  and  Red  Plume 
stood  before  him. 

This  remarkable  redskin  had  been  looking  for  the 
canoe  of  his  friend,  and  had  seen  it  from  the  first  mo- 
ment it  entered  the  lake,  and,  as  soon  as  it  halted,  he 
made  haste  to  join  his  friend. 

The  meeting,  as  a  matter  of  course,  was  cordial,  as  it 
always  was  between  these  two  singular  characters ;  but 
it  was  not  their  custom  to  indulge  in  any  demonstra- 
tions such  as  would  have  been  natural  between  two 
comrades  of  long  and  tried  friendship.  There  was  busi- 
ness before  them. 

A  few  minutes  sufficed  for  Red  Plume  to  hear  all  that 
Jud  had  to  say,  and  to  impart  the  information  he  pos- 
sessed. 

The  Sioux  were  mostly  on  the  other  side  of  the 
house,  in  the  wood,  where  several  of  them  were  holding 
the  house  under  close  surveillance,  but  they  seemed  to 
be  waiting  until  the  cover  of  night  before  making  any 
further  demonstration.  There  were  several  of  them  in 


34  THE  RED  PLUME 

the  barn,  although  what  their  ultimate  intentions  were 
could  only  be  conjectured. 

The  hunters  decided  upon  attempting  two  perform- 
ances, both  of  which  were  perilously  difficult,  but 
which  they  believed  could  be  accomplished.  Red 
Plume  proposed  to  enter  the  cottage,  acquaint  the  in- 
mates with  the  precise  condition  of  affairs  on  the  out- 
side, and  instruct  them  as  to  the  course  for  them  to  pur- 
sue in  the  attempts  that  would  probably  be  made  by  the 
Sioux  in  the  course  of  the  next  few  hours. 

But  before  doing  this,  it  was  determined  to  free  Cap- 
tain Swarthausen  from  his  enforced  imprisonment,  as 
he  and  Muggins  would  add  not  a  little  to  the  strength 
of  the  party,  which  needed  every  arm  and  gun  that  they 
could  possibly  procure. 

The  Sioux  had  learned  that  the  captain  was  now  be- 
sieged by  only  two  Indians,  while  the  others  were  con- 
gregated near  the  Prescott  house,  so  as  to  be  prepared 
for  an  assault  or  any  peculiar  method  of  attack  that 
their  leader  might  wish.  Before  it  could  be  prevented, 
the  hunters  could  steal  upon  these  redskins,  speedily  put 
them  hors  du  combat,  and  release  the  beleaguered  fam- 
ily. 

Then,  with  the  additional  force  thus  gained,  there 
was  some  prospect  of  doing  something  against  the  main 
body  of  redskins. 

As  it  looked  as  though  it  might  be  necessary  to  get 
the  Prescotts  out  of  their  house,  and  to  flee  with  them, 
the  cautious  Red  Plume  determined  to  make  everything 
ready  for  this  contingency. 


THE  RED  PLUME  35 

Accordingly,  he  sped  with  all  haste  to  where  the  fugi- 
tives were  concealed  in  the  river,  placed  them  in  as  se- 
cure a  place  as  possible  in  the  wood,  and  then  propelled 
the  boat  to  a  point  as  near  the  building  as  it  was  discreet 
to  approach. 

By  the  time  this  was  done  the  sun  was  setting,  and 
time  had  become  precious.  A  half  hour  later  the  two 
had  approached  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  Captain 
Swarthausen's  house,  and  began  carefully  reconnoit- 
ering  it. 

The  result  of  this  was  the  discovery  of  the  curious 
fact  that  one  of  the  two  redskins  referred  to  had  with- 
drawn and  joined  the  main  body,  while  the  other  com- 
posed the  entire  besieging  force. 

The  audacious  villain  was  stretched  out  on  the  bank, 
directly  in  front  of  the  house,  where  his  own  body  was 
effectually  protected  from  any  danger  from  those 
within,  while  with  loaded  rifle,  he  commanded  the  en- 
trance to  the  building. 

Had  those  within  been  aware  of  this  curious  situa- 
tion of  affairs,  they  could  have  emerged  from  the  back 
windows  and  walked  away  without  fear  of  disturbance  ; 
but  Captain  Schwarthausen  very  naturally  believed  that 
every  portion  of  his  home  was  continually  scanned  by 
his  enemies,  vigilant  and  watchful  for  the  first  oppor- 
tunity to  accomplish  their  design. 

When  Red  Plume  became  certain  of  the  precise  con- 
dition of  affairs,  he  took  upon  himself  the  task  of  dis- 
posing of  the  savage  who  was  taking  matters  as  coolly 


3$  THE  RED  PLUME 

as  if  he  had  everything  his  own  way,  and  was  going  to 
wait  until  the  ripe  fruit  fell  into  his  hand. 

With  the  stealthy,  crouching  tread  of  the  panther,  he 
stole  upon  his  unconscious  victim,  who  looked  continu- 
ally in  the  front,  and  never  once  in  the  rear.  When  the 
two  grappled,  the  struggle  was  brief  and  fierce,  but  Red 
Plume  emerged  from  it  without  a  scratch,  while  his  an- 
tagonist never  emerged  from  it  at  all. 

It  now  remained  to  apprise  Captain  Swarthausen  of 
the  raising  of  the  siege.  As  Red  Plume  was  in  the 
usual  paint  and  dress  of  his  people,  the  probabilities 
were  that  he  would  not  be  recognized,  but  would  be 
fired  upon  the  instant  he  showed  himself. 

As  it  was  now  almost  dark,  there  was  some  fear  that 
Jud,  in  his  half-civilized  dress,  would  also  be  subject 
(although  in  a  less  degree)  to  the  danger.  On  account 
of  the  proximity  of  their  enemies,  it  would  not  do  to 
halloo  or  make  any  outcry,  as  their  suspicions  would  in- 
stantly be  aroused ;  so,  perforce,  he  did  as  follows : 

Placing  his  hunting-cap  on  the  end  of  his  ramrod, 
he  waved  it  back  and  forth  over  his  head,  to  show  that 
he  had  no  gun  with  him,  and  at  the  same  time  had 
something  to  say  to  those  within. 

Captain  Swarthausen  at  this  moment  was  on  the 
watch,  and  detected  the  figure  approaching;  but  in  the 
gloom,  rendered  deeper  by  the  shadows  of  the  trees,  he 
failed  to  identify  it.  Believing  it  to  be  some  device  of 
his  foes,  he  raised  the  hammer  of  his  rifle  and  drew  a 
bead  upon  it 


THE  RED  PLUME  37 

But  while  his  finger  was  already  pressing  the  trigger, 
it  struck  him  that  there  was  something  so  un-Indian- 
like  in  the  appearance  of  the  form  approaching  that  he 
lowered  his  piece  again,  and  scrutinized  it  more  closely. 
Still  unable  to  make  it  out,  he  hailed  it, 

"  Halt !  who  comes  there?  " 

The  hunter  obeyed  orders,  and  called  back  his  name. 

This  was  sufficient,  but  the  captain  did  not  under- 
stand precisely  how  matters  stood. 

"  Be  careful,  Jud ;  we  are  surrounded  by  Indians." 

"  Thar  isn't  a  redskin  near  you,"  was  the  reply,  as 
he  strode  toward  the  door,  which  opened  before  him. 

"  Lor'  bless  you,  Jud !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Muggins,  as 
she  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck,  and  hugged  and 
kissed  him  in  her  transport  of  joy.  "  I  can't  tell  you 
how  glad  we  are  to  see  you." 

"  Then  'spose  you  don't  try  jist  now,"  he  replied,  not 
rudely  disengaging  the  muscular  arms  which  were  al- 
most suffocating  him. 

Captain  Swarthausen  and  Muggins  shook  him  cor- 
dially by  the  hand,  and  almost  overwhelmed  him  with 
their  exuberant  delight. 

While  they  were  talking,  Red  Plume  appeared  beside 
them,  with  the  suddenness  and  silence  of  a  shadow,  and 
he  was  greeted  none  the  less  warmly. 

It  required  but  little  time  to  state  what  was  wanted, 
and  to  agree  upon  their  course  of  action.  Mrs.  Mug- 
gins was  to  be  taken  down  the  river,  and  left  with 
Lillian  and  Edith,  while  her  big  husband  joined  the  ef- 
fective force  that  was  to  operate  against  the  Sioux, 


38  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  And  I  shall  have  to  leave  the  house  entirely  unpro- 
tected ?  "  remarked  Captain  Swarthausen. 

"  I  don't  jist  see  how  you're  going  to  help  it,"  re- 
plied Jud. 

"  Nor  I  neither;  so  don't  let  me  delay  you." 

Mrs.  Muggins  was  placed  in  the  canoe  of  the  captain, 
which,  when  not  in  use,  lay  moored  under  the  bank, 
while  Red  Plume  took  upon  himself  the  task  of  convey- 
ing her  to  the  retreat  in  the  woods. 

As  the  good  lady  moved  away,  she  gave  her  trem- 
bling husband  her  parting  injunctions,  enforcing  them 
by  threats  of  the  direst  penalties ;  and  there  is  no  tell- 
ing when  she  would  have  ceased,  had  not  her  escort  per- 
emptorily ordered  her  to  do  so,  from  fear  that  the  tu- 
mult would  reach  the  Indians  further  up  the  lake. 

A  few  minutes  later,  Red  Plume  safely  deposited  his 
passenger  in  the  wood  among  the  startled  but  pleased 
females,  and  near  the  soundly  sleeping  Pipkins;  and 
with  an  additional  word  of  cheer,  he  bade  them  good- 
by,  and  swiftly  vanished  in  the  gloom. 

The  Indian  that  had  fallen  beneath  the  hand  of  Red 
Plume  furnished  an  additional  rifle,  so  that  all  were 
now  armed.  Muggins  was  not  the  best  of  support  in 
such  a  crisis  as  this;  but,  as  he  was  removed  from  all 
fear  of  his  spouse,  there  was  a  good  prospect  of  turning 
him  to  some  account. 

In  the  increasing  darkness,  it  was  impossible  to  see 
across  the  lake.  As  the  readiest  means  of  reaching 
their  destination,  the  four  men  entered  the  canoe,  which 


THE  RED  PLUME  39 

was  pressed  down  to  its  very  gunwales,  and  under  the 
skillful  propulsion  of  Red  Plume,  they  sped  with  far 
greater  swiftness  than  they  could  had  they  proceeded 
through  the  woods. 

They  had  gone  the  greater  part  of  the  journey,  when 
some  alarm  was  caused  by  hearing  the  Sioux  signalling 
to  each  other.  The  Indian  stopped  paddling  and 
listened. 

They  were  low,  tremulous  whistles,  that  had  a  won- 
derful distinctness  in  this  still  summer  night,  and  most 
of  them  came  from  the  wood  near  the  house,  although 
several  showed  that  some  of  the  redskins  were  at  quite 
a  distance  in  another  quarter. 

"  I  wonder  whether  that  concerns  us?  "  remarked 
Captain  Swarthausen  in  an  undertone,  looking  inquir- 
ingly toward  Jud. 

"  Can't  say;  I'll  ask  Red  Plume." 

The  savage  shook  his  head  to  signify  that  it  had  no 
reference  to  them,  and  resumed  his  paddle. 

Almost  immediately  the  canoe  slid  softly  to  the 
shore,  within  a  dozen  feet  of  where  the  other  two  boats 
lay,  and  the  four  men  stepped  softly  out. 

"  Here  we  are  to  stay,"  said  Jud,  by  way  of  explana- 
tion, "  till  Red  Plume  comes  back  agin." 

"  But  suppose  he  doesn't  come  back  ?  "  inquired  the 
captain. 

"  In  that  case  he  will  send  me  word." 

"  Send  you  word  ? "  repeated  Muggins,  in  amaze- 


40  THE  RED  PLUME 

ment;  "  how  in  the  name  of  creation  will  he  do  that?  " 
"  Just  as  you  heard  them  redskins  do  a  few  minutes 

ago." 
"Ah,  I  understand." 


CHAPTER  VII 

TREACHERY 

FIELDING  the  Friend,  when  he  discovered  that  botK 
Red  Plume  and  Jud,  the  hunter,  were  in  his  immediate 
neighborhood,  became  so  interested  in  watching  and 
speculating  upon  their  movements,  that  he  forgot 
wholly  the  suspicions  that  had  been  renewed  in  his 
breast  regarding  the  fealty  of  Lige  and  for  the  time  the 
negro  passed  from  his  mind  altogether. 

The  only  one  who  kept  the  suspected  party  in  mind 
was  Mrs.  Prescott.  More  than  once  she  softly  stole  to 
the  door  of  the  room ;  but,  after  she  had  done  this  sev- 
eral times,  and  detected  nothing  suspicious,  her  misgiv- 
ings fled,  and  she  ceased  her  visits  almost  entirely  or 
made  them  much  more  rarely.  She  concluded,  too,  that 
Fielding  would  take  all  necessary  precautions,  and  that 
it  was  all  important  that  she  should  not  neglect  her 
duty  as  sentinel. 

And  thus  it  came  to  pass  that  Lige  was  left  to  him- 
self for  the  greater  part  of  the  time.  The  cunning  Af- 
rican heard  the  cat-like  step  of  Mrs.  Prescott,  although 
the  good  lady  could  not  have  believed  it,  and  he  knew 
well  enough  the  art  of  dissembling. 

In  the  heart  of  this  evil  negro  rankled  the  most  vin- 

41 


42  THE  RED  PLUME 

dictive  feelings  toward  the  persons  whose  safety  he  held 
in  his  hands.  The  Quaker  had  detected  him  in  stealing, 
and  had  spoken  honest  words  of  reproof ;  Mr.  Prescott, 
when  provoked,  had  punished  him  severely,  and  the  fel- 
low's bosom  was  filled  with  intense  resentment  toward 
him  and  all  his  family. 

Lige  was  looking  for  Jarrik.  Between  this  merciless 
Sioux  and  the  treacherous  African  a  sort  of  under- 
standing existed,  and  both  were  working  for  the  same 
end. 

When  he  felt  secure  from  detection  on  the  part  of 
those  in  the  rear,  Lige  leaned  his  head  out  the  window, 
looked  carefully  around,  and  waved  his  hand.  Not  a 
shot  was  fired,  and  he  was  convinced  that  the  chief  had 
not  only  seen  him,  but  that  he  had  understood  him. 

In  the  course  of  the  next  ten  minutes  the  traitor  saw 
something  flit  from  one  tree  to  another,  and  then  dis- 
cerned the  tufted  head  of  an  Indian  cautiously  pro- 
truded to  view.  Lige  shook  his  hand  again,  and  the 
redskin  darted  to  the  tree  nearest  the  house  which  of- 
fered any  chance  of  screening  his  body. 

For  the  space  of  fifteen  minutes  matters  remained  in 
statu  quo.  The  Sioux  manifestly  was  waiting  until  as- 
sured that  the  coast  was  clear. 

Lige  signalled  to  him  several  times,  and  finally  he 
glided,  with  marvellous  speed,  across  the  clearing,  and 
reached  the  shelter  of  the  kitchen,  without  being  seen 
by  any  of  those  upon  the  watch,  excepting  the  traitor 
who  was  luring  him  onward. 


THE  RED  PLUME  43 

It  was  necessary  for  the  savage  to  ascend  the  side  of 
the  kitchen  and  come  across  the  roof,  before  he  could 
enter  the  room  where  the  negro  was  impatiently  await- 
ing him.  The  lower  story  was  so  secured  that  he  could 
not  force  an  instant  entrance  into  it,  and  should  he  at- 
tempt to  work  his  way,  the  noise  would  reach  and  alarm 
the  ears  of  those  within. 

Here,  therefore,  he  crouched,  directly  beneath  the 
shelter  of  the  shutter,  waiting  until  assured  that  it  was 
safe  to  clamber  up  the  roof,  and  into  the  building. 

Suddenly  the  trained  ear  of  the  chief  heard  a  noise, 
as  if  the  shutter  were  being  cautiously  unfastened.  This 
was  better  still,  as  it  would  open  the  way  for  his  brother 
warriors  to  swarm  in  after  him. 

Very  softly  and  stealthily  was  the  shutter  dallied 
with,  while  the  redskin  fixed  his  eyes  exultantly  upon 
it,  and  waited  for  it  to  open. 

The  next  moment  it  was  shoved  back,  and  he  raised 
up  and  thrust  his  head  and  shoulders  in  preparatory  to 
doing  the  same  with  his  body. 

"  Much  lub  pale  face  ob  night — " 

At  this  interesting  juncture,  a  kettle  full  of  scalding 
water  was  dashed  full  in  the  face  of  the  grinning  red- 
skin. 

"  Ain't  you  ashamed  yourself,  you  big  nigger,  tryin' 
to  steal  in  de  house  dat  way.  I'll  tech  you  how  to  'buse 
my  baby  Cato." 

And  the  furious  Dinah  jerked  the  shutter  to  again, 
and  fastened  it  in  a  twinkling,  while  Jarrik,  "  the  noble 


44  THE  RED  PLUME 

red  man,"  leaped  high  in  air,  with  a  howl  of  agony,  and 
plunged  headlong  for  the  lake,  to  check  the  intense 
pain  that  was  driving  him  wild. 

"  Verily  it  would  be  doing  an  act  of  kindness  to  put 
thee  out  of  thy  fmisery,"  said  Fielding,  who  witnessed 
the  headlong  flight,  and  understood  what  it  meant. 
"  And  I  will  consult  friend  Prescott  to  see  what  he 
thinks." 

But  friend  Prescott  needed  no  consultation.  He 
ran  to  the  front  of  the  house  upon  hearing  the  out- 
cry, and  as  Jarrik  plunged  beneath  the  water,  and 
came  to  the  surface  again,  he  offered  such  a  tempting 
target  that  it  was  accepted,  and  when  the  Sioux  sank 
beneath  the  water  a  second  time,  he  remained  there. 

Baffled,  chagrined  and  malignant,  Lige  knelt  at  the 
window,  feeling  that  his  revenge  had  only  been  post- 
poned. 

It  was  now  quite  dark.  None  of  those  within  the 
building  came  near  him,  and  he  sat  alone,  looking  for 
some  further  sign  from  his  dusky  allies. 

He  had  not  long  to  wait.  A  little  more  to  the  left, 
he  dimly  made  out  a  form,  stealing  forward  on  his 
hands  and  knees,  following  almost  in  the  footsteps  of 
the  destroyed  chief.  Glancing  around  to  make  sure 
that  he  was  not  observed,  Lige  leaned  out  of  the  win- 
dow and  beckoned  to  him  to  come  on. 
;  The  savage  made  several  signals  with  his  hand,  as 
he  advanced,  which  gave  the  African  great  uneasiness, 
as  he  feared  they  would  attract  the  attention  of  Field- 


THE  RED  PLUME  45 

ing  or  Prescott.  But  all  was  still,  and  by-and-by  he  ap- 
proached the  kitchen  so  near  that  he  was  shut  out  from 
view. 

The  traitor  now  impatiently  looked  for  his  appear- 
ance upon  the  roof,  but  the  minutes  wore  away,  and 
nothing  was  seen  of  him. 

It  could  not  be  supposed  that  he  was  about  to  com- 
mit the  same  blunder  as  his  predecessor,  and  lay  him- 
self liable  to  the  same  fearful  consequences. 

Was  he  not  rather  waiting  for  the  deeper  gloom  of 
the  night  ?  Or  was  he  making  ready  to  fire  the  build- 
ing? 

Perhaps — 

But  at  this  moment  the  form  of  the  Indian  suddenly 
rose  over  the  eaves,  and  he  crawled  over  the  kitchen 
roof  with  the  agility  of  a  monkey. 

The  overjoyed  negro  raised  high  the  sash,  and  stood 
back  so  as  to  give  him  free  entrance.  The  next  instant 
the  redskin  bounded  through  the  window  into  the 
room. 

If  the  treacherous  negro  had  been  infuriated  at  the 
mishap  of  Jarrik,  who  shall  describe  his  sensations 
when,  at  this  juncture,  he  recognized  the  Indian  whom 
he  had  just  admitted  as  no  other  than  Red  Plume,  the 
chivalrous  friend  of  the  whites? 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  CONFERENCE 

So  overwhelming  was  the  chagrin  of  the  negro, 
Lige,  when  he  found  that  he  had  admitted  the  Indian, 
Red  Plume,  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  conceal 
his  emotions. 

"  Whar  de  debbil  you  come  from  ?  "  he  asked,  stand- 
ing motionless,  and  staring  at  the  Sioux. 

"  Hooh !  much  glad  to  see  you,  "  returned  the  latter, 
who,  it  may  be  conjectured,  had  some  suspicion  of  the 
predicament  of  the  African. 

"  I  didn't  know  it  was  you,"  muttered  the  latter,  to 
himself,  but  in  words  that  were  understood  by  the  iron-: 
limbed  Indian.  For  one  moment  the  latter  stared 
fixedly  at  the  negro,  and  there  was  a  dangerous  gleam 
in  his  eye,  as  he  rested  his  hand  upon  the  handle  of  his 
knife. 

In  that  one  moment  Red  Plume  was  debating 
whether  to  bury  his  knife  to  the  haft  in  the  dark, 
treacherous  bosom  before  him,  or  to  wait  a  little  longer. 
Only  for  a  second  did  the  mental  struggle  last.  Well 
would  it  have  been  had  the  first  thought  of  the  Indian 

been  acted  upon  then  and  there,  and  the  negro  been 

46 


THE  RED  PLUME  47 

cast  out  of  this  life  into  the  other,  even  had  it  been 
without  a  second's  warning! 

But  the  grasp  of  Red  Plume  loosened  upon  his  wea- 
pon, and  without  a  word  of  explanation,  he  strode  out 
of  the  room  into  the  apartment  where  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Prescott  were  impatiently  awaiting  him. 

Fielding,  as  the  night  closed  in,  and  the  partial 
moonlight  illuminated  the  lake  and  wood,  had  detected 
the  stealthy  approach  of  Red  Plume,  who  established 
his  identity  by  means  of  signals,  so  that  the  young 
Quaker  instantly  announced  the  fact  to  his  friends,  and 
thus  secured  his  immunity  against  injury  from  those 
within. 

With  the  cunning,  characteristic  of  his  people,  the 
Sioux  effectually  concealed  his  individuality  from  the 
savages  around  him,  so  that  his  unchallenged  approach 
to  the  beleaguered  building  can  be  readily  understood. 

Although  aware  that  the  friendly  Sioux  was  in  the 
building,  yet  Fielding  deemed  it  unsafe  to  leave  his 
station ;  so  he  gave  that  privilege  to  the  parents,  while 
in  the  silence  of  the  building  he  was  able  to  overhear 
everything  that  passed  between  the  parties. 

"  Oh,  Red  Plume !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Prescott,  rush- 
ing forward,  and  grasping  one  of  his  hands  in  both  of 
hers,  "  tell  me  where  are  Lillian  and  Edith?  Are  they 
safe  ?  Are  they  alive  ?  " 

"  Dey  alive.  " 

"  Have  the  Indians  got  them?'* 

"  No — they  hid  in  woods.  " 


48  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  Oh,  thank  God ! "  ejaculated  the  happy  mother, 
sinking  upon  her  knees  in  her  gratitude  to  Heaven. 

"  They  are  safe !  they  are  safe !  " 

Mr.  Prescott  stood  trembling  like  a  leaf;  for  a  mo- 
ment he  was  unable  to  speak,  from  his  efforts  to  repress 
his  excitement. 

'Tell  me  all  about  it,  Red  Plume.  " 

"  They  went  down  ribber  in  boat — me  find  'em — hid 
in  woods — Sioux  can't  find — wait  dere  till  me  come—- 
or till  Sioux  go  away — den  come  in  house  agin.  " 

"  You  cannot  understand  what  a  load  you  have  lifted 
from  my  heart,  "  responded  the  father,  taking  the  hand 
of  the  Indian,  and  pressing  it. 

The  dim  light  of  a  kerosene  lamp,  turned  down,  was 
burning  in  the  room,  so  that  the  three  could  easily  dis- 
tinguish each  other. 

"  I  suppose  Pipkins  is  there?  " 

"  Yes,  dey  take  care  ob  him,"  replied  the  Sioux,  who, 
we  have  reason  to  suspect,  was  not  without  a  slight 
tinge  of  waggishness  in  his  disposition. 

"  And  where  is  Captain  Swarthausen  ?  " 

"  He  out  dere — wait  fur  me — he  wid  old  Jud.  " 

"  Old  Jud !  "  exclaimed  the  delighted  Mr.  Prescott 
"  And  is  he  with  you  ?  We  have  more  friends  than  we 
imagined.  " 

"  Hello,  up  dar ! "  called  out  Dinah,  who,  from  the 
bototm  of  the  stairs  had  been  listening  to  the  conversa- 
tion, "  whar  am  my  baby  ?  Whar  Cato  ?  " 

"  Dunno, "  was  the  reply  of  Red  Plume;  "no  seen 
him." 


THE  RED  PLUME  49 

"  Wai,  Red  Plume,  if  you  want  me  to  be  your  friend, 
you  jist  find  dat  baby,  and  brought  him  in.  If  he's  been 
runnin'  into  trouble  hisself,  I'll  gib  him  de  biggest 
spankin'  dat  he  eber  have — but  Lor'-a-massy !  de  way 
I  lub  dat  little  feller  am  orful !  Don't  forgit  to  brought 
him  in.  " 

And  with  this  parting  admonition,  Dinah  went  away 
from  the  foot  of  the  stairs  to  resume  her  guardianship 
o'f  the  lower  story  of  the  building. 

Mrs.  Prescott,  the  mother,  had  heard  that  her  chil- 
dren were  safe ;  that  was  enough.  She  asked  no  more. 
All  thought  of  her  present  danger  sank  out  of  sight  in 
the  remembrance  of  that  blissful  truth. 

Red  Plume  passed  to  the  upper  room,  followed  by 
Prescott,  where  Fielding  was  awaiting  him. 

"  I  am  right  glad  to  meet  thee,  "  quietly  but  cordially 
remarked  the  Friend,  as  he  shook  the  hand  of  their 
dusky  visitor. 

Red  Plume  was  an  Indian,  with  an  Indian's  shrewd- 
ness, and  it  was  plain  from  his  manner  that  he  held  the 
quiet  Quaker  in  profound  respect,  if  not  friendship. 
He  answered  all  his  questions,  and  succeeded,  in  his 
characteristic  way,  in  imparting  all  the  information  at 
his  disposal,  regarding  their  friends  upon  the  outside, 
and  their  expectations  of  rescuing  those  within. 

There  were  two  probabilities  regarding  this  assault 
of  the  Sioux — the  first  of  which  was  almost  too  good 
to  come  to  pass.  That  was,  that  being  discouraged  by 
the  vigorous  resistance  with  which  they  had  been  met, 


50  THE  RED  PLUME 

they  would  withdraw  and  steal  away  during  the  night. 

Their  backwardness  in  making  any  determined  at- 
tack on  the  building,  gave  some  slight  probability  to 
this;  but  Red  Plume  had  no  belief  in  it.  On  the  con- 
trary, he  knew  enough  of  his  race  to  understand  that, 
having  lost  several  of  their  warriors,  they  were  not 
likely  to  depart  until  this  account  was  made  even  by 
the  death  of  an  equal  number  of  their  enemies. 

He  did  not  deem  it  at  all  unlikely  that  runners  had 
already  been  despatched  for  additional  help,  and  that 
the  morrow's  sun  might  shine  upon  a  hundred  yelling 
miscreants  all  clamorous  for  the  lives  of  the  innocent 
ones  within  and  without  the  building. 

Red  Plume,  therefore,  advised  that  they  should  keep 
up  an  unremitting  watch,  and  resist  to  the  utmost  every 
attempt  of  the  Sioux  to  gain  the  least  advantage.  If 
they  should  make  an  assault  there  was  a  prospect  of 
creating  a  diversion;  and  if  it  was  found  that  the 
building  could  not  be  saved,  the  flight  would  be  at- 
tempted under  cover  of  this  in  the  rear. 

There  would  be  great  peril  in  such  an  effort,  but 
there  was  no  choice  between  it  and  death,  and  there 
was  hope,  that  under  the  confusion  and  turmoil  of  an 
unexpected  assault  of  the  whites  upon  the  Sioux,  it 
would  be  possible  to  hurry  the  inmates  into  the  boats, 
and  shove  off  into  the  lake  before  their  escape  could  be 
frustrated. 

Red  Plume  showed  his  good  sense  by  examining 
the  interior  of  the  house  from  top  to  bottom.  He  had 


THE  RED  PLUME  51 

been  within  before,  and  had  a  general  idea  of  the  ar- 
rangement of  the  rooms;  but  in  a  crisis  like  this,  he 
could  not  be  master  of  the  situation,  without  an  unmis- 
takable acquaintance  with  the  entire  structure  of  the 
building. 

Prescott,  with  lamp  in  hand,  led  him  on  this  search, 
and  the  black  eyes  of  the  Sioux  took  in  every  weak  and 
strong  point,  as  one  would  have  viewed  a  panorama 
passing  before  his  eyes. 

When  the  survey  was  completed  the  friendly  Indian 
gave  his  views  in  the  single  comment: 

"  Much  fear  fire !  look  out  barn !  " 

A  sort  of  understanding  was  arrived  at  between  the 
friends  without  and  within,  so  as  to  enable  them  to 
communicate  with  each  other  and  then  Red  Plume 
made  ready  for  return. 

This  was  hardly  less  difficult  than  his  approach,  as 
there  was  no  knowing  but  that  the  Sioux  had  pene- 
trated the  ruse,  in  which  case  they  would  riddle  him 
the  moment  he  showed  himself. 

Nothing  was  said  of  Lige,  although  there  can  be  no 
question  but  that  he  was  in  the  mind  of  every  one ;  but 
Red  Plume  managed  to  slip  out  of  the  window  without 
the  negro  knowing  what  was  going  on,  and  then  slunk 
around,  so  as  to  be  out  of  the  range  of  his  rifle. 

He  stole  along  with  the  stealth  of  a  panther,  con- 
scious that  the  eyes  of  more  than  one  red  Indian  were 
fixed  upon  him,  and  when  he  had  reached  a  proper 


52  THE  RED  PLUME 

point,  he  started  with  the  speed  of  the  wind  toward  the 
wood. 

Crack — whizz  went  the  rifle  of  Fielding,  pointed  to- 
ward the  swiftly- vanishing  fugitive,  who  had  little  fear 
of  being  hit  by  that  piece. 


CHAPTER  IX 

AN  INDIAN  STRATAGEM 

OUR  duty  as  historian  requires  us  now  to  bestow  a 
little  attention  upon  the  more  humble  characters  in  this 
drama. 

It  may  be  truly  said  that  Pomp  and  Cato  were  in 
the  lowest  depths  of  "  black  despair  "  when  they  found 
that  Lige  had  escaped,  and  they  had  been  peremptorily 
refused  the  only  opportunity  they  saw  of  following 
suit  They  had  held  strong  hopes  of  being  sent  to  Mr. 
Prescott  as  the  bearer  of  some  message,  and  it  is  easy 
enough  to  understand  what  the  result  would  have  been 
had  the  Sioux  sent  either  or  both  of  them  upon  such  a 
duty. 

They  had  their  arms  securely  bound  behind  them, 
only  their  lower  limbs  being  left  free,  while  it  was  be- 
yond all  human  possibility  that  either  could  get  away 
without  help  from  others. 

At  first  sight  it  may  seen  strange  that  the  Sioux 
should  have  preserved  the  lives  of  the  two  Africans, 
when  it  would  have  been  such  an  easy  matter  to  put 
them  out  of  the  way,  and  have  done  with  them.  This 
they  undoubtedly  would  have  done  had  not  the  leaders 
entertained  ho,pes  of  turning  the  colored  youths  to  ac- 

53 


54  THE  RED  PLUME 

count  in  the  designs  which  they  meditated  against  the 
settlers.  More  than  one  of  these  dusky  strategists  saw 
a  probability  of  the  buxom  Africans  being  made  to  play 
quite  a  prominent  part — one  which  they  would  find  to 
be  fun  for  their  captors,  but  death  to  themselves. 

So  the  poor  fellows  were  cramped  up  together  on 
the  ground,  while  dark  forms  were  silently  passing 
back  and  forth  and  around  them,  and  never  once  were 
they  free  from  the  scrutiny  of  more  than  one  pair  of 
basilisk  eyes. 

They  could  only  conjecture  what  the  occasional  firing 
of  a  gun  and  the  whoop  of  the  Indians  meant ;  but  when 
Jarrik,  the  chief,  received  the  sousing  from  Dinah,  and 
ran  howling  to  the  lake,  where  he  was  put  out  of  his 
agony  by  the  merciful  bullet  of  Mr.  Prescott,  there  was 
great  excitement  created  among  the  Sioux. 

Had  not  their  chief  received  his  quietus  at  the  instant 
he  did,  there  would  have  been  a  rush  and  an  assault  for 
the  purpose  of  rescue;  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  of 
the  result,  at  a  time  when  there  had  been  no  communi- 
cation, and  consequently  no  understanding  between  the 
besieged  and  their  friends  without. 

"Gor  a  mity,  dis  yer's  beginnin'  to  wear  onto  me,'* 
groaned  Cato,  just  loud  enough  for  his  able  companion 
to  hear.  "I  feels  bad." 

"So  does  I,"  wailed  Pomp.  "I  don't  b'leve  dem 
Injins  likes  us  much." 

"O  golly!  I  bet  de  ole  woman's  mad,"  added  Cato, 
referring  to  his  parent.  "She  don't  offin  git  mad,  but 


THE  RED  PLUME  55 

when  she  does,  she  makes  der  fur  fly.  Do  you  remember 
Pomp,  last  week  when  I  fell  in  de  lake  and  tored  all  de 
seat  out  ob  my  best  pants?  Well,  dar!  didn't  she  light 
on  me?  I  hain't  'zactly  got  ober  de  whalin'  yet  dat  she 
gub  me." 

"Massa  Fielding  nebber  git  mad,"  said  Pomp. 
"When  we  begun  fixin'  up  our  house,  I  built  a  fire  out- 
side to  warm  my  hands  and  afore  I  knowed  it,  I  had 
de  ole  new  building  burnt  down.  I  'spect  Massa  Field- 
ing would  tear  round  den,  but  he  jist  looked  at  it  kind 
o'  quiet  like,  wid  one  ob  his  grins,  and  den  said,  wery 
soft  like  to  me:  Tomp,  thee  must  be  more  keerful  in 
handlin'  fire !' " 

"Do  yer  know  what  my  ole  woman  would  done,  ef 
you  had  been  me,  and  she  had  been  Massa  Fielding?" 

"Ob  course  not." 

"Why,  she'd  jist  cotched  me,  by  de  nap  ob  de  neck, 
and  chucked  me  head  ober  heels  into  dat  fire — dat's 
what  she  would." 

"Hebens!"  gasped  the  horrified  Pomp,  "I  thought 
she  lubbed  you  more  don  dat." 

"So  she  does,  and  dat's  jist  de  reason  she'd  do  it.  Ef 
she  didn't  think  nuffin'  ob  me,  she  wouldn't  take  no 
notice  ob  me." 

"Den  I'd  rather  she  wouldn't  lub  me  so  much." 

"Do  yer  know  jist  what  I  b'leve?"  asked  Cato,  as  if 
a  sudden  thought  had  struck  him;  his  friend  an- 
swered in  the  negative. 

"Ef    dey'd  let  de  ole    woman    loose,    an'    I'd    gib    a 


56  THE  RED  PLUME 

yell,  she'd  come  tearin'  out  yer  in  a  minute,  an' 
wouldn's  dese  yer  darkies  run?  I've  a  good  notion  to 
set  up  a  screech  for  mammy,  jist  to  see  de  fun." 

"Better  not,"  replied  Pomp,  who  had  not  much 
faith  in  the  proposed  scheme.  "Dey'll  jist  grab  her 
afore  she  gits  time  to  yawp." 

This  seemed  so  probable  that  the  son  concluded  not 
to  call  upon  his  parent  just  yet,  but  he  was  one  of 
those  "spoiled  children"  who  was  sure  to  beseech  the 
help  of  his  mother,  at  the  very  moment,  perhaps,  when 
all  under  heaven  depended  upon  his  own  exertions.  -. 

"I  tell  you  what,  I  ain't  goin'  to  stand  dis!"  ex- 
claimed Cato,  after  some  minutes  had  passed  in  silence. 

"How  yer  gwine  to  help  it?"  was  the  pertinent  in- 
quiry of  his  companion  in  captivity. 

"I'll  tear  round  arter  awhile,  an'  make  'em  let 
me  go." 

There  is  no  telling  what  these  sable  prisoners  would 
have  attempted  had  the  chance  been  given  them;  but 
an  unlooked-for  occurrence  took  the  expected  oppor- 
tunity from  their  hands. 

When  Red  Plume  made  his  flight  from  the  be- 
leaguered house,  his  identity  was  not  suspected,  even 
after  he  had  entered  the  wood,  and  by  a  circuitous 
route  hastily  rejoined  his  friends. 

It  will  be  seen  that  this  individual,  on  account  of 
his  race  and  tribe,  enjoyed  a  vast  advantage,  which  no 
skill  upon  the  part  of  his  friends  could  counterbalance. 

A  few  minutes  after  his  return,  one  of  the  hostile 


THE  RED  PLUME  57 

Sioux  approached  the  spot  where  the  two  negroes  were 
sitting  upon  the  ground,  and  roughly  commanded  Cato 
to  get  up. 

"What  yer  want  of  me?"  inquired  the  African, 
with  no  little  trembling.  "I's  jist  as  cumferable  on 
the  ground  as  a  standin'  up." 

"Git  up!"  commanded  the  savage,  kicking  him  vio- 
lently. 

"Wai,  why  don't  you  ax  a  feller,  as  yer  oughter?" 
was  the  sullen  response,  as  the  negro  rose,  sulkily, 
to  his  feet. 

The  moment  he  took  the  standing  position,  the  In- 
dian seized  him,  and  drew  him  toward  the  clearing. 

"Let  go!  you  hurt!  you're  a  pinchin'  me." 

Here  the  object  of  the  Indian  speedily  became  mani- 
fest. He  was  about  to  make  an  attempt  to  approach  the 
building,  probably  for  the  purpose  of  firing  it;  but, 
knowing  how  vigilantly  it  was  watched,  he  hit  upon  the 
plan  of  using  Cato  as  a  shield. 

Placing  the  African  squarely  in  front  of  him,  he 
gave  him  to  understand  that  if  he  struggled  to  free 
himself,  he  would  bury  his  knife  to  the  hilt  in  his  body. 
At  the  same  time  he  had  liberty  to  shout  to  his  ut- 
most. 

This  was  to  make  sure  that  the  whites  comprehended 
the  manoeuvre,  for  it  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  they 
would  kill  the  negro  for  the  purpose  of  penetrating  the 
motive  power  behind  him,  and  yet  they  might  do  that 
same  thing  before  they  comprehended  the  ruse. 


58  THE  RED  PLUME 

"Golly,  won't  I  yell!"  thought  Cato,  when  he  un- 
derstood what  they  were  driving  at.  "I  bet  I'll  raise 
the  ole  woman,  an'  den  I  don't  want  'em  to  shoot  me." 

Shortly  after  the  thick,  burly  form  of  Cato  moved 
cautiously  out  from  the  wood,  propelled  by  the  Sioux, 
who  took  care  to  shield  himself  behind  his  spacious 
form. 

The  negro  walked  slowly  and  heavily,  afraid  to 
struggle,  but  using  his  lungs  with  a  power  that  was 
positively  fearful. 

"Mommy!  dey  got  me!  dey're  shovin'  me  long! 
dar's  an  Injin  pinchin'  me!  why  don't  you  come  out  an' 
make  'em  stop?" 

This  performance  was  witnessed  by  those  within, 
and,  as  may  be  supposed,  caused  the  greatest  excite- 
ment. Mr.  Prescott  had  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder,  at 
the  first  appearance  of  the  dark  form  on  the  edge  of  the 
clearing  and  his  finger  was  already  pressing  the  trigger, 
when  Dinah  screeched : 

"Don't  anybody  shoot — dat's  my  baby!" 

"Good  heavens!  you  spoke  just  in  time!"  exclaimed 
Mr.  Prescott  as  he  lowered  his  piece,  and  shuddered  to 
think  how  near  he  came  to  killing  his  own  servant. 

"Perchance  thou  mayest  discover  some  portion  of 
the  heathen's  body  and  perchance  thou  wouldst  like  to 
shoot,"  called  out  Fielding,  as  he  descended  from  his 
position  and  joined  those  in  the  second  story. 

"I  rather  think  I  would,"  replied  Prescott,  eagerly 
looking  for  the  coveted  chance. 


THE  RED  PLUME  59 

"I  tell  yer,  don't  yer  shoot!"  called  out  Dinah,  in 
great  excitement;  "dat  yer's  my  baby,  and  yer  better 
not  touch  him." 

"I  think  I  can  get  a  glimpse  of  the  redskin's  head,  but 
there  is  too  little  light,  and  the  risk  is  too  great,"  replied 
Prescott,  lowering  his  piece  again. 

"Can  we  not  instruct  thy  servant  what  to  do?"  asked 
Fielding,  plainly  excited,  although  it  did  not  show 
in  his  voice. 

"If  he  only  knew  enough  to  turn  his  head,  but  he's 
too  frightened  to  do  anything,  except  to  yell  for  his 
mother." 

It  so  happened  that  Dinah  had  been  among  the  first 
to  understand  the  ruse,  as  she  recognized  the  appeal  of 
distress  at  once,  and,  as  was  natural,  became  fairly 
wild. 

What  child  ever  called  to  its  mother  in  vain?  What 
danger  will  not  the  parent,  whether  it  be  brute  or  hu- 
man, undergo  for  its  offspring?  Who  will  stop  to 
think  of  the  consequences  when  the  imploring  arms  of 
the  helpless  one  are  stretched  toward  us? 

Remembering  the  doting  affection  of  Dinah  for  her 
lubberly  son,  Fielding  rushed  to  the  lower  story  to 
prevent  the  apprehended  catastrophe. 

He  was  not  a  moment  too  soon.  The  colored  lady 
was  in  the  very  act  of  unfastening  the  same  shutter  that 
had  served  her  purpose  so  well  once  before,  when  the 
Friend  was  at  her  side  and  caught  her  arm. 


6*  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  Thee  must  not  do  it ! "  he  said,  in  a  low,  but  unmis- 
takably earnest  voice. 

"  I  tell  yah  to  let  go  ob  me !  "  screeched  the  negress, 
growing  frantic  at  this  interruption  on  the  very  thresh- 
old of  her  effort  at  rescue,  and  attempting  to  wrench 
herself  free  from  the  man. 

But  the  latter  held  her  with  a  grip  of  iron. 

"  Dinah,  wilt  thou  not  suffer  thyself  to  be  per- 
suaded? Serious  consequences  will  surely  result  from 
thy  obstinacy — *' 

But  at  this  juncture  Cato's  cries  increased  tenfold  in 
volume  and  passionate  intensity,  and  his  mother  be- 
came furious. 

It  was  no  time  for  argument;  and,  throwing  his 
arms  around  the  barrel-like  form  of  the  cook,  he 
carried  her,  struggling,  across  the  room  and  into  the 
other  apartment,  where  he  drew  the  door  to,  fast- 
ened it,  and  then  hastened  to  the  shutter. 

By  this  time  Cato  was  within  a  hundred  feet  of  the 
kitchen  window,  and  his  approach  was  viewed  with  an 
intensity  of  interest  which  it  would  be  impossible  to 
describe.  Startled,  and  somewhat  bewildered  by  the 
turmoil  below,  Mr.  Prescott  hastened  to  the  assistance 
of  Fielding,  while  his  wife,  with  a  rapidly  throbbing 
heart,  hurried  to  where  Lige  had  been  left  alone  and 
forgotten. 

Just  as  she  came  in,  the  negro  was  in  the  act  of 
raising  his  gun  to  his  shoulder.  She  screamed. 

"Don't,  Lige!  Don't!  don't!" 


THE  RED  PLUME  6l 

"  What's  de  matter?  "  he  asked,  somewhat  sullenly, 
as  he  lowered  his  piece  and  turned  impudently  toward 
her. 

"  That's  Cato  out  there.  " 

"  I  know  dat,  I  guess.  " 

"  Then  what  are  you  aiming  your  gun  at?  ** 

"  At  de  redskin  behind  him." 

"  Don't  do  it.   You  will  hit  Cato.  " 

"  Don't  you  think  I  don't  know  nuffin  ? "  he  de- 
manded, in  the  same  insolent  voice.  "  Dar's  'nough 
moon  for  me  to  see  Cato  and  de  Injun  ahind  him.  " 
And  the  negro  again  brought  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder. 

"  Lige,  you  shall  not ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Prescott, 
almost  beside  herself  at  the  fellow's  insolence,  and  seiz- 
ing the  gun-barrel  in  her  hand,  and  turning  it  aside. 

He  muttered  something,  but  did  not  dare  openly  re- 
sist her,  although  his  nature  was  evil  enough  to  have 
murdered  her  on  the  spot.  They  stood  silent  for  a 
moment,  when  the  attention  of  both  was  called  to  a 
scene  of  the  most  exciting  character. 

Cato  had  reached  a  point  about  twenty  feet  from 
the  kitchen,  when  the  Sioux  behind  him  gave  utterance 
to  a  frightful  shriek,  and,  with  a  spasmodic  struggle, 
fell  over  on  his  back,  stone  dead,  his  bronze  skull  bored 
through  by  the  ball  of  a  rifle  whose  spiteful  crack  was 
simultaneous  with  his  death-cry. 

So  sudden  was  this  that  both  Fielding  and  Prescott 
were  certain  that  the  fortunate  shot  had  been  fired  by 
Lige,  who  instantly  rose  to  the  highest  point  in  their 


62  THE  RED  PLUME 

admiration  and  confidence,  while  the  African  was 
equally  positive  that  the  Sioux  had  received  his  quietus 
from  those  whom  he  hated  so  cordially,  and  who  were 
in  the  room  below. 

A  moment  later  Cato  got  an  idea  of  what  had  hap- 
pened, and  realized  that  he  was  now  standing  between 
two  fires;  but  whether  to  retreat  or  advance  was  the 
all-important  question,  which  he  probably  never  would 
have  been  able  to  decide,  had  not  his  mother  burst  into 
the  room  again,  and  shouted  to  him  to  come  at  once  to 
her. 

There  was  no  mistaking  that  command,  and  the 
obedient  boy  came  plunging  toward  the  window,  the 
shutter  of  which  was  opened  to  receive  him,  while  the 
bullets  of  the  Sioux  began  whistling  all  about  them. 

The  moment  he  was  within  reach  he  was  seized  by 
the  muscular  arm  of  his  mother,  and,  without  help  of 
his  own,  drawn  headlong  into  the  room,  where  she  be- 
gan at  once  to  cuff  and  box  him  most  unmercifully. 

"I'll  larn  ye  how  to  stand  thar  and  never  mind  yer 
poor  old  mammy !  You're  such  a  wicked  heathen  of  a 
baby  that  you'll  never  live  to  grow  up!  Take  that, 
and  that!" 


CHAPTER  X 

IN  THE  WOOD 

SAFELY  removed  from  these  scenes  of  peril  were  the 
two  sisters,  Edith  and  Lillian,  with  Mrs.  Muggins  and 
Augustus  Pipkins,  to  whom,  in  their  state  of  anxious 
suspense,  the  time  passed  with  unutterable  dreariness. 

All  excepting  the  young  gentleman  from  Chicago, 
who,  placing  his  hat  between  his  knees,  had  lain  his 
head  back  against  a  large  tree,  and  was  "dreaming  the 
happy  hours  away." 

The  coming  of  Mrs.  Muggins  was  a  relief  to  the 
girls,  who  felt  the  need  of  one  of  their  own  sex,  as  well 
as  pleasure  at  the  proof  that  another  of  their  friends 
was  placed  beyond  the  great  danger  that  menaced  the 
rest. 

"  Isn't  this  orful !  "  exclaimed  Captain  Swarthau- 
sen's  housekeeper.  Just  as  like  as  not  when  we  wake 
up  in  the  morning  we  will  all  be  dead !  " 

"  Not  so  bad  as  that,  aunty,  I  hope,  "  said  Edith. 
"  Our  friends  are  safe,  and  Heaven  will  not  forsake 
them  in  the  hour  of  their  extremity.  " 

"My  gracious!  what's  that?"  exclaimed  the  old 
lady,  startled  by  the  stertorous  breathing  of  Pipkins, 
whom  as  yet  she  had  not  observed.  Just  enough  moon- 

63 


64  THE  RED  PLUME 

light  made  its  way  through  the  interstices  of  the  trees 
to  reveal  the  form  of  the  unconscious  young  gentle- 
man. "  I  declare  if  there  ain't  that  city  chap  out  here, 
when  he  ought  to  be  with  the  rest  of  them,  helping  to 
fight  the  infarnel  Injians.  " 

"  Tut,  tut,  aunty !  He  isn't  accustomed  to  this  part 
of  the  world,  and  he  could  not  be  of  any  assistance  to 
them.  At  least,  neither  Jud  nor  Red  Plume  care  about 
having  him  with  them.  " 

"  It  don't  make  no  difference, "  continued  the 
strong-minded  female.  "  All  the  greater  shame  for 
him.  Do  you  s'pose  I'd  let  my  husband  sit  here,  while 
the  Injians  was  a-tryin'  for  to  kill  me?  " 

"  There,  never  mind, "  added  Edith,  in  her  mild 
way.  "  It  is  not  worth  while  to  discuss  the  point. 
There  can  be  no  good  come  from  it,  and  it  does  not 
please  me  to  hear  you  talk  thus.  " 

This  was  quite  a  palpable  hint,  and  even  the  some- 
what naturally  obtuse  Mrs.  Muggins  "  took  "  it. 

Pipkins,  therefore,  slept  on  without  any  further  de- 
rogatory remarks  upon  his  rather  heavy  breathing. 

At  this  juncture,  however,  the  high  pitch  to  which 
Mrs.  Muggins'  voice  had  attained  produced  ite  effect 
upon  the  delicate  tympanum  of  Pipkins,  and  he  awoke, 
staring  around  in  the  gloom,  and,  for  a  moment,  not 
understanding  where  he  was. 

"  O-ah !  "  he  muttered,  rubbing  his  eyes.  "  It  looks 
as  if  I  were  out  on  a  picnic,  and  they  had  forgot  me; 


THE  RED  PLUME  65 

or — no,  it  can't  be  that  I'm  tight — and  it  kind  of  looks 
that  way,  too.  " 

To  test  the  matter,  he  rose  to  his  feet,  and  was  much 
gratified  to  find  that  his  head  was  level. 

"  That  settles  that  point,  "  he  added  to  himself. 
"But  it  ain't  clear  yet,  and  I'm  afraid  I  shall  have  to 
get  some  one  to  introduce  me  to  myself.  Hello !  " 

It  had  all  flashed  upon  him  in  an  instant,  and  peering 
around  in  the  gloom,  he  caught  sight  of  his  cousins. 

"  That  was  decidedly  good !  Ha !  ha !  "  he  laughed. 
"  I  really  forgot  where  I  was  for  the  time.  But  hello ! 
I  think  I  see  another  lady  with  you.  " 

"  It's  me,  "  was  the  sharp,  shrill  exclamation  of  Mrs. 
Muggins,  as  she  straightened  herself  up  with  the  sud- 
denness of  a  Jack-in-the-Box. 

"What  the  deuce  are  you  doing  here?"  inquired 
Pipkins,  who  never  held  any  particular  like  for  the 
virago. 

"  I'm  come  here  to  take  care  of  you;  that's  what  I 
came  for.  " 

"  Your  husband  sent  you,  I  s'pose, "  added  the  ex- 
quisite, significantly. 

"  I  go  where  I  please,  without  his  sending  me,  "  was 
the  spiteful  reply.  "  Why  ain't  you  with  the  men,  a- 
helping  of  them  to  shoot  these  orful  Injians — " 

"  Mrs.  Muggins—" 

"  Instead  of  being  here — " 

"  Mrs.  Muggins — " 

"  Well,  what  is  it  ?  "  she  asked,  stopping  short. 


66  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  How  is  your  health  ?  " 

"  Oh,  you!  "  she  fairly  ground  beneath  her  teeth,  un-< 
able  to  do  justice  to  her  feelings;  and  then  she  began 
launching  her  invectives,  when  Edith  interfered,  and 
ordered  her,  peremptorily,  to  stop.  She  had  lost  all  pa- 
tience at  the  tongue-lashings  of  the  housekeeper,  and 
told  her  that  she  must  either  cease,  or  go  away  where 
they  would  not  be  disturbed  by  her. 

There  was  a  quiet  dignity  about  Edith  Prescott 
which  was  impressive.  It  was  the  triumph  of  a  refined 
mind  over  a  gross  one.  Mrs.  Muggins  held  the  young 
lady  in  no  little  fear,  and  she  did  not  hesitate  a  moment 
to  obey  her.  Instant  silence  fell  upon  all,  broken  by 
Lillian,  who  said  to  her  cousin : 

"  Dolph,  ain't  you  afraid  of  catching  cold  ?  " 

"  Well,  yes ;  I  ain't  used  to  sleeping  in  the  woods, 
and  I'm  apprehensive  I'll  have  some  trouble  before  get- 
ting broke  in.  If  I  only  had  a  light  for  my  meerschaum 
it  wouldn't  be  so  dem'd  rough." 

"  Never  mind  about  your  pipe ;  we  have  got  to  re- 
main here  all  night,  and  you  can  get  along  without 
smoking  as  well  as  we  can." 

"  P'raps  I  could,  if  I  hadn't  learned  it  when  I  was 
young — " 

"  Sh!  "  interrupted  Lillian;  "  I  hear  something!  " 

Silence  fell  upon  all,  and,  while  listening,  they  dis- 
tinctly heard  a  rippling  on  the  edge  of  the  river,  evi- 
dently caused  by  the  motion  of  a  paddle. 

"Good!"    exclaimed    Pipkins,   in  an  undertone; 


THE  RED  PLUME  67 

"  that's  old  Jud  or  Red  Plume,  come  back  to  keep  us 
company." 

"  Perhaps  it  is  not,"  said  Edith,  who  could  not  un- 
derstand why  either  of  their  friends  should  return  at 
this  time,  when  she  had  reason  to  believe  that  they  were 
on  the  other  side  of  the  lake. 

"  Yes,  it  is !  "  said  the  delighted  Pipkins,  starting  in 
the  direction  of  the  sound. 

The  young  lady  would  have  added  a  word  of  warn- 
ing, but  he  was  immediately  beyond  the  sound  of  her 
cautious  undertone. 

The  sound  which  had  caught  their  attention  was  so 
slight  that  the  young  man  was  compelled  to  stop  every 
moment  or  so  to  listen.  Thus  guided,  he  made  his  way 
to  the  edge  of  the  water,  where  he  caught  sight 
of  a  canoe  with  a  single  occupant.  A  moment's  scru- 
tiny was  necessary  before  he  could  make  out  that  it  was 
an  Indian  in  the  boat. 

"  Hallo,  Red  Plume !  I'm  deuced  glad  to  see  you,  for 
it's  getting  to  be  the  greatest  bore—" 

But  it  wasn't  Red  Plume! 


A  HEROINE 

AUGUSTUS  PIPKINS  dashed  headlong  back  to  where 
his  terrified  cousins  awaited  him. 

"  It  isn't  Red  Plume!  it's  another  Indian!  and  he's 
going  to  kill  us  all!" 

It  would  be  difficult  to  describe  the  confusion  that 
followed.  Mrs.  Muggins  began  her  unearthly  scream- 
ing ;  Lillian,  with  a  gasp  of  terror,  started  to  flee,  when 
her  arm  was  caught  and  held  by  Edith. 

"  Wait,  sister ;  you  know  I  have  a  weapon." 

Cowering  like  the  wounded  bird,  she  shrank  against 
her  sister  as  if  there  was  safety  in  her  presence. 

"  Thunderation !  I'm  going  to  climb  a  tree !  "  mut- 
tered Pipkins,  who  threw  his  arms  around  a  small  sap- 
ling, and  was  up  among  the  branches  in  a  twinkling. 

It  was  the  fact  that  the  Indian  was  a  hostile  Sioux, 
who,  however,  was  coming  up  the  river,  without  any 
thought  of  there  being  any  one  concealed  near  the 
shore,  and  he  would  have  passed  in  ignorance  had  he 
not  been  arrested  by  the  sounds  of  words  which  reached 
his  ears. 

He  was  a  painted  fiend,  fully  fitted  to  be  the  compan- 

68 


THE  RED  PLUME  69 

ion  of  the  merciless  devils  on  the  other  side  of  the  lake, 
and  who  instantly  checked  his  boat  at  the  prospect  of 
getting  the  blood  of  some  innocent  victims. 

He  started  hastily  after  the  fleeing  Pipkins,  and 
would  have  overhauled  him  very  speedily  had  he  not 
been  checked  by  his  own  habits  of  precaution.  Not 
knowing  who  composed  the  party  of  fugitives,  he  made 
a  brief  reconnoissance  to  be  certain  of  the  danger  he 
had  to  encounter. 

When  this  reconnoissance  was  finished,  Pipkins  was 
perched  in  the  tree,  Mrs.  Muggins  had  partly  ceased 
her  screeching,  and  Edith  and  Lillian  were  standfcig,  si- 
lent and  waiting. 

Had  it  been  during  the  day,  an  observer  would  have 
noticed  that  the  elder  sister  held  her  hand  in  her  bosom, 
in  a  manner  which  showed  that  it  was  not  the  emotion 
of  fear  alone  which  actuated  her. 

She  gazed  fixedly  in  the  direction  of  the  expected 
savage,  and  with  her  left  arm  thrown  protectingly 
around  Lillian,  she  awaited  his  approach  with  the  calm- 
ness of  a  marble  statue. 

The  truth  was  that  that  delicate  right  hand  was  rest- 
ing upon  the  handle  of  a  small,  beautiful  single-bar- 
relled pistol — a  present  from  Fielding,  who,  perhaps, 
thought  it  was  as  appropriate  for  her  to  carry  as  for 
him  to  own. 

But  a  few  minutes  passed  when  the  savage  strode 
forward  and  looked  about  him.  Whether  he  had  seen 


70  THE  RED  PLUME 

Pipkins  ascend  the  tree  or  not  can  only  be  imagined, 
but  certain  it  is  he  looked  up  and  raised  his  gun. 

"  Blazes !  don't  shoot !  "  called  out  the  terrified  man. 
"  I'll  come  down  and  surrender." 

With  which  he  slid  as  nimbly  down  the  tree  as  if  it 
had  been  oiled  expressly  for  that  purpose. 

The  savage  evidently  intended  his  demonstration  as 
a  summons  to  surrender,  for  he  lowered  his  piece.  But 
the  evil  dog  meant  mischief.  As  he  turned  his  head, 
Edith  saw  the  glitter  of  his  eye,  and  she  knew  that 
there  was  murder  in  it. 

As  the  party  stood,  Mrs.  Muggins  was  within  an 
arm's  length  of  the  redskin,  while  the  sisters  were 
somewhat  to  the  left  and  double  the  distance  away, 
while  Pipkins  was  almost  behind  him,  endeavoring  to 
edge  around  so  as  to  interpose  a  tree  between  him  and 
his  dreaded  enemy. 

Mrs.  Muggins  had  become  silent,  and  for  a  moment 
not  a  word  was  uttered  by  a  single  member  of  this  sin- 
gular group.  But  the  housekeeper  could  contain  her- 
self no  longer. 

"  You'll  get  it,  you  bad,  good-for-nothing  dog !  I'll 
let  you  know  we  have  friends — " 

Poor  woman !  they  were  the  last  words  she  ever  ut- 
tered. At  that  instant  there  was  a  lightning-like  move- 
ment of  the  Indian's  arms  as  he  threw  his  body  slightly 
forward,  and  Edith  caught  the  flash  of  the  knife-blade 
as  it  was  sheathed  to  the  hilt  in  the  bosom  of  the 


THE  RED  PLUME  71 

woman,  who  sank  down  and  expired  without  another 
word. 

This  wanton  murder  roused  the  whole  devil  in  the 
Sioux's  nature,  and  with  a  slight  whoop  he  swung  the 
reeking  knife  overhead  and  made  toward  the  two  girls. 

In  the  indistinct  gloom  of  the  wood  the  redskin 
looked  like  a  demon  of  the  darkness  as  Edith  saw  him 
striding  toward  her. 

Lillian's  head  was  buried  in  the  dress  of  her  sister, 
and  she  saw  nothing  and  knew  nothing  of  the  frightful 
scene  that  had  just  been  enacted. 

Never  a  limb  moved  Edith  Prescott,  except  to  draw 
her  hand  from  her  bosom  and  raise  her  right  arm. 

The  muzzle  of  the  pistol  almost  touched  the  forehead 
of  the  Indian,  when  the  trigger  was  pulled,  and  the 
tiny  bullet  went  clear  and  clean  through  his  brain,  and, 
with  a  spasmodic  upthrowing  of  the  arms,  he  fell  over 
dead. 

It  was  done  almost  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  The 
discharge  of  the  pistol  followed  close  upon  the  knife- 
thrust,  and  the  murderer  and  his  victim  lay  side  by  side. 

The  sisters  were  safe,  and  so  was  their  cousin,  but 
poor  Mrs.  Muggins  was  dead  at  their  very  feet. 

It  was  several  moments  before  Pipkins  got  the  truth 
through  his  head.  He  knew  that  Edith  owned  a  pistol, 
but  he  had  no  suspicion  that  she  had  it  with  her,  and  it 
was  his  supposition  that  the  shot  had  been  fired  by  the 
Indian  himself. 

But  as  he  saw  the  two  sisters  still  standing,  while  the 


72  THE  RED  PLUME 

dark  form  of  the  Sioux  was  stretched  before  them,  he 
began  to  suspect  that  there  had  been  a  mistake  made 
somewhere. 

"  I  say — say — Edith,  who  fired  that  pistol  ?  Was 
it  you,  now?  Where's  that  Indian?  Is  he  dead?  " 

"  He  is  dead,  and  so  is  Mrs.  Muggins !  "  replied  the 
girl,  her  feelings  giving  way  now  that  the  danger  had 
passed,  while  she  covered  her  face. 

"  I  see  she  has  left  this  world  of  sorrow,"  said  the 
unfeeling  Pipkins,  "  that  is,  she  has  shuffled  off  the 
mortal  bucket — no,  I  mean  has  kicked  the  coil — hang 
it,  my  Shakespeare  has  got  a  little  mixed." 

For  the  first  time  Lillian  uncovered  her  face  and 
looked  about  her. 

It  is  a  singular  thing  this  human  nature  of  ours! 
Who  shall  explain  its  contradictions  and  inconsisten- 
cies? 

The  stern,  dignified,  magnificent  Edith  Prescott  was 
now  shuddering  and  sobbing  in  her  sorrow ;  the  petite, 
"  airy,  fairy  Lillian,"  was  without  a  tear  or  a  tremor. 

It  was  almost  as  if  they  had  changed  their  natures 
for  the  time.  Leaving  the  side  of  her  sister,  Lillian 
walked  to  the  prostrate  form  of  Mrs.  Muggins,  stooped 
down,  and  placed  her  hand  upon  the  face. 

It  was  still  warm,  and  a  thrill  of  hope  went  over  her 
at  the  thought  that,  perhaps,  she  was  living;  she  for- 
getting, in  the  terrible  shock  of  woe,  that  the  body  had 
not  yet  been  given  time  to  lose  its  vital  heat. 

Then  she  called  her  by  name  and  raised  her  head,  and 


THE  RED  PLUME  73 

receiving  no  reply,  she  attempted  to  place  her  hand 
upon  her  heart. 

As  she  did  so,  she  touched  the  awful  wound  from 
which  the  life-blood  was  silently  flowing. 

She  realized  the  truth,  and  with  a  faint  exclamation 
of  horror  she  sank  back,  fainting,  upon  the  earth. 

"  Now,  this  is  what  I  call  confounded  rough !"  mut- 
tered Pipkins,  who  was  hardly  equal  to  the  scene.  "  If 
things  keep  on  in  this  way,  we'll  all  go  to  the  demnition 
bow-wows.  Come,  Lillian,  don't  faint — try  and  make 
a  man  of  yourself ;  and,  Edith,  hangnation !  what's  the 
use?  Look  at  me!  I'm  just  as  good  as  ever  I  was.  I 
ain't  afraid  of  anything.  Do  try  and  act  like  sensible 
men." 

The  great  grief  of  Edith  was  only  temporary  in  its 
manifestation.  By  a  powerful  effort  she  subdued  her 
feelings,  and  became  herself  again — calm,  serene,  and 
self-possessed.  Kneeling  down  beside  Lillian,  she 
soothed  her  with  a  few  gentle  words,  and  the  two  arose 
to  their  feet,  prepared  for  any  duty  that  might  appear 
to  open  before  them. 

"  What  shall  we  do  ?  "  asked  Edith,  directing  her 
questions  to  Pipkins,  who  had  moved  as  far  away  from 
the  dead  bodies  as  possible,  without  going  out  of  sight 
of  his  cousins. 

"  Let's  go  to  Chicago ;  there  ain't  any  Indians  there." 

"  We  must  leave  this  place ;  I  cannot  stay  in  sight  of 
that"  she  said,  pointing  with  a  shudder  toward  the 
dark  form  of  the  body  of  the  savage. 


74  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  It  is  a  deuced  unpleasant  sight,  and  I  would  be  sat- 
isfied never  to  look  upon  the  noble  red  man  again,  as 
long  as  I  live." 

"  Yet  we  cannot  leave  her  here." 

"  How  are  we  going  to  help  it  ?  Do  you  expect  I'm 
going  to  tote  her  round  on  my  back  ?  I  rather  guess  I 
ain't.  What  good  will  it  do  ?  Ain't  the  poor  thing  as 
well  off  here  as  anywhere  else?  and,"  he  added,  in  a 
voice  which  was  heard  by  no  one  but  himself,  "  ain't 
her  husband  better  off  than  he  ever  was?  " 

"  It  seems  cruel  to  leave  her  alone  in  the  woods,"  said 
Edith,  looking  mournfully  downward,  "  but  we  can  in- 
deed do  nothing ;  we  cannot  bury  her,  nor  can  we  take 
her  with  us." 

"  My  views  exactly,"  Pipkins  hastened  to  say. 
"  Leave  her  here  until  matters  are  settled.  The  men 
can  come  here  and  put  her  under  ground  after  all  the 
folks  have  been  killed — there — there — I  didn't  mean 
that ;  don't  go  to  whimpering,  Lillian,  at  every  mistake 
a  fellow  makes.  I  meant  to  say,  that  after  the  Indians 
had  all  been  driven  away  from  the  other  side  the  lake, 
and  everything  has  settled  down  serene  like,  why  we 
can  all  gather  here  and  give  the  late  Mrs.  Muggins  a 
first-class  burial — that's  what  I  was  driving  at." 

"  But  where  shall  we  go  ?  If  we  wander  off  too  far, 
they  will  not  be  able  to  find  us,  and  Red  Plume  told  us 
not  to  leave  this  place." 

"  He  didn't  think  you  were  going  to  shoot  one  of 
these  interlopers,  in  aboriginal  shape,"  replied  Pipkins, 


THE  RED  PLUME  75 

who  seemed  to  be  totally  wanting  in  his  sense  of  the 
"  fitness  of  things,"  and  who,  as  we  have  shown,  could 
be  light  and  frivolous  at  the  most  solemn  times. 

"  If  you  have  any  special  admiration  for  a  Sioux  in 
a  state  of  suspended  animation,  Edith,  we'll  camp 
around  this  specimen;  but  the  only  thing  I  admire 
about  him  is  his  blanket,  which  I  will  confiscate." 

As  the  Indian  had  fallen,  his  robe  was  mostly  under 
him.  Pipkins,  however,  did  not  hesitate  to  draw  it 
from  beneath  him,  with  such  abrupt  violence,  that  the 
body  turned  almost  entirely  over. 

"  There !  "  exclaimed  the  exquisite,  stepping  to 
Lillian,  and  throwing  it  upon  her  shoulders,  "  that  will 
help  protect  you  from  the  night  dew." 

Had  a  rattlesnake  dropped  upon  her  shoulders,  the 
girl  could  not  have  started  with  a  more  convulsive  hor- 
ror, than  when  she  felt  the  loathsome  garment  descend 
and  clasp  her. 

Flinging  it  to  the  ground,  she  sprang  away  from  it, 
as  if  it  were  a  deadly  peril.  Her  cousin  coolly  picked 
it  up. 

"  Will  you  take  it,  Edith?" 

"  No ;  I  would  perish  first." 

"  All  right,"  replied  Pipkins,  as  he  folded  it  about 
him,  and  strutted  back  and  forth,  "  I  find  it  very  com- 
fortable. You  know  that  I  dress  rather — that  is,  rather 
well — and  this  will  help  protect  my  clothing.  But  we 
must  proceed  to  business.  The  question  is,  whether  we 


76  THE  RED  PLUME 

are  to  stay  here  or  somewhere  else  until  morning.  I 
believe  we  all  favor  moving  away." 

"  That  is  true,"  replied  Edith,  "  but  I  meant  that  we 
should  go  a  short  distance ;  that  is,  so  as  to  be  beyond 
all  sight  of  what  is  here,  but  not  to  desert  our  friend." 

"  Yes;  let  us  go,"  added  Lillian — "  but  we  have  no 
boat." 

"  The  Indian  has  left  his  canoe  on  the  bank." 

"  We  don't  want  any,"  said  Edith;  "  we  will  go  only 
a  short  distance,  and  that  by  land." 

The  three  moved  cautiously  forward,  the  man  at  the 
head  treading  with  something  of  the  air  of  a  conqueror. 

In  fact,  Augustus  Pipkins  never  experienced  a 
greater  sense  of  his  importance,  (which  is  saying  a 
great  deal,)  than  he  did,  when  acting  as  guide  to  his 
cousins. 

"  Sh !  not  too  fast ! "  he  whispered,  turning  about, 
and  making  a  warning  gesticulation.  "  We  ain't  out  of 
danger  yet." 

"  Have  you  heard  anything  ?  "  asked  Edith,  shrink- 
ing back. 

"  There  was  a  slight  rustling,  that  sounded  to  me 
like  the  tread  of  an  Indian's  moccasin,  but  I  ain't  sure." 

Edith  Prescott  hastily  stepped  to  him  and  whis- 
pered : 

"  Don't  go  any  further  in  that  direction,  until  you 
ascertain." 

"  Stay  here  till  I  reconnoitre,  then." 

The  ladies  stood  motionless,  while   Pipkins  began 


THE  RED  PLUME  77 

stealing  forward,  with  no  more  expectation  of  encoun- 
tering an  enemy,  than  he  had  of  meeting  his  employer 
in  Chicago. 

The  fugitives  had  started  directly  toward  the  river, 
and  the  young  man  was  now  but  a  short  distance  from 
it 

But  he  had  gone  but  a  few  feet  further,  when  a  shiver 
of  terror  ran  over  him,  as  he  heard  an  unmistakable 
movement  in  the  bushes  directly  before  him. 

"  Jingo !  and  I  ain't  got  anything  but  my  pipe," 
thought  he,  as  he  paused,  undecided  whether  to  retreat 
or  to  stand  a  moment  longer  until  satisfied  of  the  nature 
of  the  danger. 

He  listened  with  a  throbbing  heart,  but  all  the  sound 
that  reached  him  was  the  dull  report  of  a  rifle,  which 
came  faintly  across  the  lake,  and  told  of  the  situation 
of  their  friends. 

"  I  don't  hear  anything,  and,  maybe,  I  was  mistaken. 
Good  heavens ! " 

At  that  instant  a  dark  body  came  suddenly  and  al- 
most noiselessly  out  of  the  water,  and  in  a  prone  posi- 
tion rapidly  approached  him.  Pipkins  turned  to  flee, 
but  in  his  haste,  fell  headlong  to  the  ground,  and  ere 
he  could  rise,  there  was  a  rushing  sound,  and  the 
creature,  whatever  it  was,  had  vanished. 

"  Jingo !  what  was  it  ?  "  he  asked,  rising  on  his  hands 
and  knees,  and  staring  about  him. 

"  Some  wild  animal,"  replied  Lillian,  laughing  out- 
right, at  the  ridiculous  figure  her  cousin  cut,  and  for- 


78  THE  RED  PLUME 

getting  for  the  moment  the  fearful  peril  which  im- 
pended over  all. 

"  I  think  it  was  a  bear,"  added  Edith. 

"  Didn't  I  frighten  him,  though  ?  I  never  saw  an  ani- 
mal run  like  that !  " 

"Which  was  frightened  the  most,  you  or  he?" 
asked  Lillian,  endeavoring  to  suppress  her  laughter. 

"  Me!  What's  the  matter  with  me?  ''"  demanded  the 
irate  Pipkins,  rising  to  his  feet.  "  That's  the  way  to 
scare  a  bear;  haven't  you  ever  heard,  that  if  you  get 
down  on  all  fours,  any  wild  animal  will  run,  because  he 
don't  understand  to  what  species  you  belong?  Having 
no  gun  to  shoot  him  with,  that  was  my  plan  of  action. 
I  say,  Edith,  you  had  better  reload  that  pistol  of 
yours." 

"  I  have  nothing  with  which  to  reload  it,"  she  re- 
plied. 

While  they  continued  speaking,  Pipkins  was  search- 
ing up  and  down  the  bank  for  the  Indian  canoe.  He 
had  little  difficulty  in  finding  it,  and  called  the  attention 
of  his  cousins  to  it. 

At  this  instant,  Edith  caught  the  arm  of  her  sister 
and  drew  her  back. 

"  There  is  another  enemy,"  she  whispered. 

"  No ;  he  is  a  friend"  replied  Lillian,  who  spake 
from  the  heart . 


CHAPTER  XII 

COMPANIONS  DU  VOYAGE 

HERE  our  pen  must  linger  a  few  moments,  while  we 
turn  aside  to  record  an  incident  which,  in  its  results, 
has  an  intimate  connection  with  the  closing  events  of 
this  history. 

On  this  same  eventful  afternoon,  a  small  canoe  was 
making  its  way  up  Crescent  River,  toward  Manyo-han, 
or  Sleeping  Water.  In  it  were  seated  two  men,  a  Cau- 
casian and  American,  the  latter  of  whom  was  using  his 
paddle  with  all  the  skill  and  power  characteristic  of  his 
people.  He  was  a  diminutive,  weazen-faced,  dried-up 
Indian,  known  as  the  Otter,  and  for  a  dozen  years  past 
had  served  as  a  runner  between  the  different  frontier 
posts,  having  during  that  time  done  good  service  for 
General  Harney,  and  other  commanders  in  the  West. 

At  present  he  was  stationed  at  Fort  Grandon,  a  post 
something  less  than  fifty  miles  distant  from  the  scene 
of  the  incidents  we  have  narrated,  and  he  was  now  en- 
gaged in  rowing  Colonel  George  Havens  up  Crescent 
River  to  his  uncle's,  Captain  Swarthausen's,  where  he 
was  to  make  a  call  and  then  return  to  the  fort  and  take 
charge  of  the  forces  there  during  the  temporary  ab- 
sence of  the  General,  who  was  the  commandant. 

79 


8o  THE  RED  PLUME 

But  Colonel  Havens  had  two  days  yet  before  he  was 
to  assume  his  new  duties,  that  is,  two  days  from  the 
morning  of  the  one  upon  which  he  left  Fort  Grandon. 
He  calculated  it  would  take  the  better  part  of  a  day  to 
reach  his  uncle's,  and  something  less  to  return,  so  that, 
if  no  accident  occurred,  he  would  be  able  to  spend  sev- 
eral hours  with  Captain  Swarthausen,  and  get  back  all 
in  good  time. 

We  have  spoken  of  his  proposed  visit  to  the  Cap- 
tain's. This  was  his  nominal  errand,  and  yet,  it  may 
as  well  be  confessed  at  this  point,  that  on  the  shore  of 
the  beautiful  Sleeping  Water  was  a  far  more  powerful 
attraction,  it  being  understood  at  the  same  time  that 
the  young  officer  was  not  lacking,  in  the  slightest  de- 
gree, in  his  affection  toward  the  one  who  had  been  such 
an  indulgent  friend  to  him. 

But  "  airy,  fair  Lilian  " — this  Rose  in  the  Solitude 
— this  Flower  of  the  Wood,  this  personification  of  rip- 
pling laughter,  of  sparkling  eyes,  of  pearly  teeth,  of 
merry  light-heartedness,  of  sunshiny  hair,  of  the  very 
grace  of  movement  and  poetry  of  motion,  with  her  pe- 
tite form  of  matchless  symmetry,  whose  "  light  foot 
shone  like  jewel  set  in  a  dark  crag,"  and  whose  voice 
floated  over  Manyo-han,  like  the  trilling  notes  of  fairy 
music — this  was  the  one  who,  months  before  had  won 
the  heart  of  the  handsome  young  officer,  who  had  lib- 
erally feed  the  Otter  to  get  hence  to  the  lake,  without  a 
moment's  unnecessary  delay  ? 

The  Colonel  reclined  in  the  stern  of  the  canoe^ 


THE  RED  PLUME  8l 

quietly  smoking  his  Havana,  while  the  iron-limbed  red- 
skin kept  the  light  structure  skimming  like  a  swallow 
up  the  river. 

With  every  mile  they  advanced,  it  seemed  as  if  his 
heart  throbbed  faster  and  faster,  for  was  he  not  ap- 
proaching closer  to  the  one  who  had  scarcely  been  ab- 
sent from  his  sleeping  or  waking  thoughts  during  the 
last  six  months  ? 

Had  he  not  heard  that  sweet  laughter  in  the  midst  of 
battle,  above  the  scream  of  shell,  the  thunder  of  can- 
non, and  the  shrieks  of  the  wounded  and  dying?  Had 
not  that  spirk-like  form  floated  in  the  sulphurous 
clouds  above  him,  even  in  the  din  of  the  fight  ? — had  it 
not  beckoned  to  him  in  the  cold  moonlit  sky,  when  on 
the  silent  march? — and  now  when  the  "  fates  of  war  " 
had  carried  him  so  close  to  the  reality  herself,  he  was 
not  the  one  to  turn  his  back  upon  his  own  good  fortune. 

And  so  he  lay  back  in  the  boat,  and  indulged  in  those 
dreams  so  blissful  to  the  young  lover,  in  which  hope 
built  her  fairy  castles,  and  the  future  was  robed  in  all 
the  roseate  hues  that  heart  could  sigh  for. 

"  I  am  soon  to  see  her,"  he  muttered  to  himself,  smil- 
ing at  the  thought,  while  his  heart  gave  an  additional 
throb.  "  She  does  not  expect  me,  but  she  will  be  none 
the  less  pleased  for  all  that." 

And  then  the  Colonel  pictured  their  last  interview — 
the  moonlit  sail  across  the  lake.  Fielding,  the  young 
Friend,  handsome,  gallant  and  modest,  was  kind 
enough  to  attend  to  the  sail  and  rudder,  although  he 


8s  THE  RED  PLUME 

received  material  assistance  from  Edith,  who  sat  be- 
side him,  and  seemed  not  at  all  displeased  that  the 
straitness  of  the  boat  compelled  them  to  keep  so  very 
nigh  each  other. 

But  he  and  Lilian  were  in  the  bow,  and  the  broad 
sail,  intervening  between  them  and  those  in  the  stern, 
made  them  as  much  alone  as  if  they  were  in  the  soli- 
tude of  the  desert. 

And  sitting  there,  he  held  the  delicate  white  hand  in 
his  own,  and,  after  a  vast  deal  of  manoeuvring,  suc- 
ceeded in  drawing  the  golden  curls  against  his  breast, 
where  he  resolutely  held  them,  looking  down  upon  the 
angel-like  face,  and  wishing  in  his  heart  that  the  moon- 
light voyage  might  continue  forever. 

Colonel  Havens,  as  a  matter  of  course,  had  heard  of 
the  outbreak  of  the  Sioux  in  Minnesota,  and  the  Otter 
had  given  some  intimations  of  the  settlers  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Sleeping  Water  Lake  being  exposed  to  danger, 
but  he  had  not  reflected  seriously  upon  it,  and  it  did 
not  now  disturb  his  meditations  of  the  happiness  that 
was  so  near  at  hand. 

The  afternoon  gradually  wore  away,  and  still  the 
arms  of  the  Indian  worked  with  the  untiring  steadiness 
of  a  steam-engine,  and,  lulled  by  the  soft  motion  of  the 
boat  and  his  own  soothing  meditations,  the  young  offi- 
cer gradually  sank  into  a  drowsy  sleep,  from  which  he 
was  aroused  by  the  sudden  stopping  of  the  boat. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  he  asked,  starting  up  and 
looking  about  him. 


THE  RED  PLUME  83 

The  Indian  made  no  reply,  but  motioned  to  him  to 
remain  silent.  They  had  reached  a  narrow  portion  of 
the  river,  deeply  shaded  with  woods  upon  one  side, 
while  a  level  plain  on  the  left  stretched  up  the  stream 
for  a  fourth  of  a  mile,  where  the  forest  was  resumed, 
making  each  bank  of  the  stream  dark  with  the  luxuri- 
ant foliage. 

Havens  knew  that  something  was  wrong,  and  he 
stared  in  every  direction  and  listened  acutely;  but,  as 
he  neither  saw  nor  heard  anything  unusual,  he  asked, 
rather  impatiently, 

"What's  up,  Otter?" 

"  See,  there,"  replied  the  redskin,  pointing  tip 
stream,  toward  the  beginning  of  the  woods  on  the  left. 

The  Colonel  followed  directions,  but  could  detect 
nothing  unusual.  While  he  was  looking,  the  Otter, 
who  spoke  English  like  a  native,  fixed  his  beadlike  eyes 
upon  him,  and  a  peculiar  smile  added  several  addi- 
tional wrinkles  to  his  parchment-like  face. 

"  You  see  nothing?  "  he  asked  a  few  moments  later. 

"  Nothing  but  the  prairie  and  the  woods  beyond." 

"  Look  sharp  now." 

"  I  have  done  all  I  could." 

"  Look  above  the  trees." 

Ah !  now  he  saw  it.  A  thin,  dark  column  of  smoke 
rose  perpendicularly  upward  like  the  faint  outlines  of 
some  shaft  of  iron  through  the  trees,  and  told  of  the 
unmistakable  camp-fire  beneath  them. 


84  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  What  of  it?  "  he  asked;  "  they  are  a  party  of  red- 
skins I  suppose." 

"  Yes ;  they  are  Sioux." 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  them  ?  " 

"  Yes,  they  kill  all  the  white  people ;  they  would  kill 
the  Otter,  too,  for  he  is  the  friend  of  the  white  people." 

Colonel  Havens  sat  bolt  upright,  and  a  chill  of  terror 
ran  through  him,  as  he  recalled  the  accounts  he  had 
heard  of  the  Sioux  massacres;  accounts,  too,  that  he 
knew  were  based  on  truth. 

"  Good  heavens !  and  what  has  become  of  her?  "  he 
exclaimed. 

"Of  whom?" 

"  Captain  Swarthausen,  and  our  friends  who  live 
along  the  lake." 

"  They  are  in  a  bad  place." 

"  Then  why  do  we  tarry  here  ?  Let  us  hurry  to  their 
relief." 

The  Otter  dipped  the  paddle,  and  sent  the  canoe 
swiftly  and  silently  up  the  stream,  until  he  was  close  to 
the  woods,  and  not  far  from  the  camp-fire. 

"  You  stay  here  till  I  see  who  they  are." 

With  this  the  redskin  stepped  lightly  out  of  the  boat 
and  disappeared  in  the  wood,  while  his  impatient  com- 
panion had  nothing  to  do  but  to  await  his  return. 

But  scarcely  ten  minutes  had  passed,  when  there  was 
heard  the  sharp  crack  of  a  rifle,  followed  by  a  f rghtful 
shriek,  which  he  was  certain  came  from  the  Otter,  who 
must  have  been  detected  and  shot,  almost  at  the  mo- 
ment he  came  within  sight  of  the  camp-fire. 


THE  RED  PLUME  85 

What  to  do  the  Colonel  was  unable  to  decide  for 
some  moments — whether  to  retreat,  advance  or  remain 
where  he  was.  Satisfied  that  he  must  now  face  the 
danger  alone,  he  stealthily  worked  his  way  up  stream, 
until  he  had  gotten  fairly  beyond  the  neighborhood  of 
the  camp-fire,  when  he  plied  his  paddle  more  vigor- 
ously, and  thus  it  was  that  he  glided  by  the  shore  where 
the  fugitives  were  concealed  just  at  the  moment  the  sis- 
ters descried  him. 


"CHAPTER  XIII 

LOVE  AND  JEALOUSY 

THE  recognition  was  mutual  and  simultaneous.  Shy- 
ing his  canoe  sharply  against  the  bank,  Colonel  Havens 
sprang  out,  and  warmly  grasped  the  hands  of  the  sis- 
ters, while  it  was  only  by  a  strong  effort  that  he  pre- 
vented himself  from  catching  Lillian  and  pressing  her 
to  his  heart. 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  "  he  asked,  in  amazement. 

Edith,  in  a  few  minutes,  explained  everything — how 
they  came  to  be  there,  what  had  happened  on  the  other 
side  of  the  lake,  and  why  they  were  waiting. 

Havens  was  astounded. 

"  I  never  dreamed  of  such  a  thing ;  and  so  Mrs.  Mug- 
gins is  dead,  poor  soul !  I  will  go  across  the  lake  to  the 
assistance  of  our  friends,"  said  he,  making  a  movement 
toward  the  boat. 

"  No ;  you  shall  not,"  exclaimed  Lillian,  stepping 
forward  and  laying  hold  upon  his  arm. 

"  If  you  could  be  of  any  assistance,  we  would  tell  you 
to  go,"  added  Edith ;  "  but  Red  Plume  and  Jud  would 
be  displeased  to  have  you  go  there.  If  they  could  see 
you  coming,  they  would  send  you  back." 

Still  the  Colonel  hesitated,  his  impulses  drawing  him 

86 


THE  RED  PLUME  87 

toward  the  scene  of  danger;  but  second  thought  con- 
vinced him  that  Edith  had  spoken  the  truth,  and  he 
gave  over  his  intention  of  crossing  the  lake. 

Several  times  Augustus  Pipkins  had  coughed  and 
cleared  his  throat,  but  in  the  excitement  of  the  occasion 
he  was  not  noticed,  until  Lillian  suddenly  recollected 
herself,  and  introduced  the  two  gentlemen. 

"  Extremely  happy  to  make  your  acquaintance,  sir," 
said  the  exquisite,  raising  his  hat,  and  bowing  in  his 
most  elaborate  style. 

The  officer  politely  returned  the  salutation,  but  in 
that  single  second,  when  their  hands  touched,  the 
sharpest  pain  of  his  life  thrilled  his  soul — the  poignant 
pang  of  jealousy,  that  goes  through  the  heart  like  the 
thrust  of  the  Italian's  stiletto. 

Why  was  this  popinjay  here?  What  if  he  .was  the 
cousin  of  Lillian  ?  Did  that  give  him  the  right  to  play 
the  gallant  to  her  ?  The  marriage  of  cousins  was  not  so 
unfrequent  an  occurrence  as  to  make  it  at  all  improba- 
ble that  these  two  were  betrothed.  Indeed,  the  proba- 
bility was  that  they  bore  such  a  relation  to  each  other. 

It  is  singular  how  much  a  jealous  man  can  think  of 
in  a  very  few  minutes.  Colonel  Havens  did  not  remem- 
ber that  either  of  the  sisters  had  ever  mentioned  the 
name  of  their  cousin,  in  his  presence,  until  now. 

Why  this  reticence?  Why  this  studied  silence  re- 
garding him?  Did  it  not  point  to  the  dreadful  fact  of 
their  engagement? 

Such  were  the  questions  which  seethed  through  the 


88  THE  RED  PLUMB 

brain  of  the  lover,  and  his  own  answers  to  which  almost 
maddened  him  into  turning  around  and  going  down 
the  river  without  exchanging  another  word  with  any  of 
them. 

But  enough  sense  remained  to  prevent  this  consum- 
mation of  rudeness. 

"  You  were  approaching  the  river  when  I  came  up," 
said  he;  "  why  was  that?  " 

"  We  cannot  remain  in  this  place,  with  its  dreadful 
associations,"  replied  Edith.  "  We  were  going  to  move 
only  a  short  distance." 

"  I  see  you  have  a  boat ;  why  not  go  with  me  to  Fort 
Grandon,  where  you  will  be  safe?  " 

"  That's  sensible,"  exclaimed  Pipkins ;  "  I  second 
that  motion.  Let  us  once  get  into  Fort  Grandon,  and 
then  they  can't  hurt  us,  even  if  they  do  kill  all  on  the 
other  side  of  the  lake." 

"  You  may  go,  cousin ;  but  Lillian  and  I  will  remain 
here." 

"  And  why  will  you  stay  here  ?  "  asked  Havens. 
"  It  would  be  a  living  death  for  us,  so  long  as  we 
knew  nothing  of  their  fate,"  she  answered.  "  We  prom- 
ised Red  Plume  and  Jud  to  await  them  here,  and  there 
may  be  a  great  deal  of  danger  between  here  and  Fort 
Grandon." 

The  Colonel  recalled  his  experience  in  coming  up  the 
river,  and  he  coincided  with  the  speaker. 

"  You  will  remain  with  us  ?  "  she  added,  inquiringly. 

"  I  must  be  at  Fort  Grandon  to-morrow  night,  or 


THE  RED  PLUME  89 

run  the  risk  of  being  cashiered ;  but,  if  my  presence  will 
add  any  additional  security  to  your  situation,  I  will  not 
hesitate  a  moment." 

"  The  deuce  of  the  matter  is  that  my  furlough  will 
be  up  before  I  can  get  back  to  Chicago,"  said  Pipkins, 
"  and  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  I  got  cashiered,  too.  That's 
why  I'm  rather  anxious  to  be  under  way." 

"  You  are  welcome  to  go  whenever  you  wish,"  said 
Edith,  with  quiet  dignity.  "  We  can  very  well  spare 
you." 

"  Of  course,  I  can't  go  unless  you  go  with  me,  and 
I  still  hope  you  will  change  your  mind." 

"  I  may  as  well  tell  you  that  there  are  Indians  down 
the  river." 

"  Confound  it !  is  that  so  ?  Then  I  guess  we'd  better 
wait,"  remarked  Pipkins.  "  I  say,  if  we  are  going  to 
make  a  change  of  base,  it  is  time  we  were  at  it." 

"  Suppose  we  go  up  the  stream  a  little  ways,"  said 
Colonel  Havens ;  "  you  will  then  be  nearer  your  friends, 
and  more  likely  to  see  them  when  they  come  down 
stream." 

This  proposal  was  acted  upon.  Pipkins  was  some- 
what amazed  when  Lillian  took  her  seat  in  the  Colonel's 
boat,  but  as  it  was  too  late  to  prevent  it,  he  acquiesced, 
and  assumed  the  lead  with  Edith  in  the  stern  of  his  ca- 
noe. 

They  moved  only  a  hundred  yards  or  so  when  they 
came  to  rest,  where  the  overhanging  limbs  and  under- 
growth were,  if  possible,  still  more  luxuriant. 


9o  THE  RED  PLUME 

When  they  had  halted,  a  sort  of  couch  was  made  for 
Edith  in  the  bow  of  the  boat,  while  Pipkins  wrapped 
himself  up  in  his  great-coat,  and  speedily  fell  asleep  in 
the  stern. 

As  Havens  noticed  this  arrangement  of  matters,  he 
spoke  to  Lillian : 

"  Have  you  any  objection  to  remaining  in  the  boat 
for  awhile  ?  " 

She  consented  rather  reluctantly,  as  it  struck  him, 
and  he  dropped  a  little  ways  down  stream,  so  as  to  ba 
beyond  ear-shot  of  those  who  were  in  the  other  boat. 
Fastening  the  prow  of  his  canoe  to  a  limb,  he  was  then 
at  liberty  to  say  what  he  chose  to  the  vision  of  loveli- 
ness beside  him. 

His  first  remark  was  very  characteristic  of  a  lover. 

"  This  is  the  time  I  have  longed  for,  for  many  a 
month,  and  the  hours  will  now  fly  on  golden  wings." 

"  I  am  sorry  you  cannot  remain  longer,"  replied 
Lillian,  who  was  thinking  of  father  and  mother  on  the 
other  side  of  the  lake. 

"  Had  I  dreamed  of  anything  like  this,  I  would  have 
managed  to  have  my  leave  of  absence  extended ;  but  as 
it  is,  I  must  leave  at  daylight  at  the  latest,  else  I  shall 
not  make  Fort  Grandon  in  time." 

"  But  you  said  there  was  danger  on  the  way." 

"  There  seems  to  be  danger  everywhere,  as  much  in 
one  place  as  another.  It  even  found  you  out  in  your 
hiding-place." 

"  It  was  my  cousin's  fault.    I  do  not  think  we  shall 


THE  RED  PLUME  91 

be  disturbed  again,  but  you  probably  will  in  going 
back." 

"  If  I  came  safe,  is  there  not  reason  to  hope  that  I 
will  be  equally  fortunate  in  returning?  " 

He  had  not  told  her  of  the  death  of  the  Otter,  else 
she  would  never  have  assented  to  his  going  back  alone, 
even  though  he  incurred  the  risk  of  being  dismissed 
the  service. 

She  was  oppressed  with  sadness,  and  as  the  sense  of 
danger  draws  kindred  hearts  nearer  together,  they 
seemed  attracted  toward  each  other,  and  again  Havens 
felt  the  delight  of  holding  that  sunshiny  head  upon  his 
shoulder. 

It  was  indeed  a  pure  happiness  for  which  he  was 
willing  to  brave  ten-fold  the  danger  he  had  encoun- 
tered, and  which  really  imperilled  his  remembrance  of 
the  time  when  his  furlough  expired. 

For  some  moments  they  sat  in  silence,  she  enfolded 
in  his  strong  arm,  and  the  hearts  of  both  overflowing. 
Then  he  felt  a  tear  drop  upon  his  hand,  and  he  asked,  in 
the  softest  of  voices : 

"  What  is  it  that  troubles  you,  Lillian?  " 

"  Father  and  mother — shall  I  ever  see  them  again?" 

"  Let  us  hope  for  the  best.  If  you  wish  it  I  will  go 
out  upon  the  lake.  Shall  I  ?  " 

She  instantly  nodded  her  head  in  the  affirmative — a 
reply  which  somewhat  surprised  him,  and  he  repeated 
ft. 


92  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  Let  us  go  part  way — near  enough  to  learn  what 
has  become  of  them." 

The  next  instant  the  fastening  of  the  canoe  was 
loosened,  and  it  began  moving  slowly  up  the  river. 

It  was  Haven's  wish  to  pass  their  friends  without 
attracting  their  attention,  but  the  vigilance  of  Edith 
prevented.  Although  her  companion  was  sound  asleep, 
she  was  not;  and,  as  they  came  opposite,  she  inquired 
where  they  were  going. 

"  We  shall  not  be  gone  long,"  replied  Lillian,  evad- 
ing a  direct  reply.  "  Wait  here  for  us." 

Edith  added  a  word  or  two,  which  were  not  intelligi- 
ble— so  the  lovers  passed  on,  and  soon  were  beyond 
sight  and  hearing. 

Colonel  Havens  handled  his  paddle  very  gently,  and 
it  was  with  some  trepidation  that  he  found  himself  en- 
tering the  lake,  on  the  banks  of  which  such  stirring 
scenes  were  enacting  at  that  very  moment. 

They  had  gone  scarcely  a  hundred  feet,  when  Lillian 
gasped,  with  a  shudder  of  terror : 

"Look  Hook!" 

That  which  had  arrested  her  attention  was  the  sight 
of  a  burning  house  directly  before  them. 

Havens  paused  and  looked  fixedly  at  it,  while  he  felt 
the  canoe  tremble  from  the  agonizing  sobs  of  Lillian. 

Scanning  it  carefully  for  a  moment,  he  quickly 
turned  his  head. 

"  It  is  not  your  house,  dearest ;  it  is  Fielding's." 


THE  RED  PLUME  93 

Inexpressibly  relieved,  but  still  doubting,  she  looked 
up. 

"  Are  you  sure  ?  " 

"  I  suspected  it  from  the  first,  but  I  did  not  mention 
it  until  I  felt  certain  I  would  raise  no  false  hope.  Don't 
you  see  that  your  house  lies  off  here,  and  Fielding's  is 
more  to  the  right  ?  "  he  asked,  pointing  away  in  the 
darkness. 

A  closer  examination  confirmed  the  truth  of  the 
colonel's  remarks,  and,  as  may  be  supposed,  lifted  a 
heavy  burden  from  the  heart  of  both. 

"  But  if  they  can  burn  one,  they  can  burn  the  other," 
she  added,  after  the  fire  had  begun  to  die  away. 

"  Perhaps  they  can,  but  it  looks  to  me  as  if  Field- 
ing's house  was  not  defended  at  all.  I  listened,  and 
heard  no  sound  of  firing ;  did  you  ?  " 

She  was  obliged  to  say  that  she  had  not. 

"  Then  the  only  wonder  is  that  it  did  not  go  before. 
When  they  come  to  make  kindling-wood  of  the  other, 
that  will  be  a  different  thing;  they  will  find  several  in 
their  path  who  will  have  something  to  say  about  the 
matter." 

"  But  how  can  father  and  mother  get  away  ?  "  asked 
the  daughter,  who  had  racked  her  brain  for  hour  after 
hour  in  attempting  to  answer  the  question  herself.  "  If 
they  are  besieged  there,  who  but  God  can  relieve 
them?" 

"  More  unlikely  things  than  that  have  been  done. 
When  I  heard  that  Red  Plume  and  old  Jubal  Judkins 


94 


THE  RED  PLUME 


were  mixed  up  in  this  business,  I  felt  more  hope  than  I 
did  before.  That  Red  Plume,  especially,  is  one  of  the 
sharpest  redskins  that  ever  lived.  You  ought  to  have 
heard  some  of  the  stories  of  his  exploits  that  the  Otter 
told  me  in  coming  up  the  river." 

"  Did  you  have  a  companion  ?  " 

"  Part  way,"  replied  the  Colonel,  somewhat  embar- 
rassed; "  but  he  left  me  a  number  of  miles  down  the 
river." 

There  was  the  ever  present  sense  of  danger,  so  long 
as  they  remained  so  far  out  on  the  lake,  and  Havens  al- 
most unconsciously  worked  his  boat  back  toward  the 
head  of  the  river  from  which  it  had  issued. 

"All  in  the  gay  and  golden  weather 
Two  fair  travelers,  maid  and  man 
Sailed  in  a  birchen  boat  together, 

And  sailed  the  way  that  the  river  ran; 
And  they  were  lovers,  and  well  content,. 
Sailing  the  way  the  river  went." 

Lilian  was  silent  and  thoughtful.  Her  fears  were 
for  those  on  the  other  shore,  while  he  who  held  the  pad- 
dle could  think  of  scarcely  anything  but  her. 

There  is  a  witching  power  in  the  moonlight,  and  it 
throws  its  magic  veil  over  the  homely  as  well  as  the 
lovely,  softening  down  each  roughness,  and  making  all 
beautiful. 

And  there  was  just  enough  of  the  silvery,  gossamer 
light  to  give  a  spiritual  loveliness  to  Lillian  Prescott 
such  as  had  only  visited  her  lover  in  his  dreams  of  the 
angels. 


THE  RED  PLUME  95 

He  looked  down  upon  the  snowy  forehead  and  face, 
with  the  beautifully  pencilled  eyebrows,  and  delicate 
nose,  and  perfectly  cut  features,  the  small,  symmetrical 
form,  and,  like  a  true  admirer,  wondered  why  the 
whole  world  did  not  hasten  to  Sleeping  Water  to  pay 
adoration  at  her  feet. 

"  Ah !  if  /  can  but  claim  this  fair  one,"  he  reflected, 
"  then  shall  such  happiness  be  mine  as  all  will  envy." 

But  the  same  old  Shadow  again  hovered  over  him. 
Was  Lillian  as  trustful  and  loving  as  she  should  be  ? 

Was  not  this  quiescent  languor  born  of  indifference 
toward  him,  as  well  as  of  anxiety  about  her  parents  ? 

True,  she  could  not  but  feel  the  keenest  anguish  for 
those  who  were  in  such  frightful  peril,  but  she  ought  to 
have  had  a  single  thought  at  least  for  him  at  her  side, 
who  was  never  tired  of  gazing  in  her  face,  of  listening 
to  her  words,  and  obeying  her  slightest  command. 

The  most  ardent  love  is  the  most  selfish,  and  the  tor- 
ment of  jealousy  is  the  keenest  in  that  heart  which  is 
affectionate  above  all  others. 

Colonel  Havens  fought  the  phantom  like  a  hero,  but 
it  would  not  down.  He  endeavored  to  thrust  it  behind 
him,  but  the  hated  figure  of  the  Chicago  exquisite  con- 
stantly hovered  before  his  eyes. 

He  was  a  cousin  of  the  family  (so  ran  his  medita- 
tions), and,  consequently,  had  visited  them  before,  and 
frequently.  He  and  Lillian  had  known  each  other  for 
years,  and,  unless  he  was  welcome  and  well-treated,  he 


96  THE  RED  PLUME 

would  not  be  likely  to  remain  so  long  a  time  in  such  an 
out-of-the-way  place  in  Minnesota. 

The  lover  strove  his  best  to  keep  away  the  frightful 
conclusion,  but  it  came  like  the  thunderbolt  of  the  quiv- 
ering lightning.  She  and  this  insufferable  Augustus 
Pipkins  were  betrothed  lovers! 

Yes :  the  more  he  thought  of  it,  the  more  convinced 
of  its  truth  did  he  become.  He  reasoned  that  any  man 
who  could  dress  well,  look  feminine,  and  talk  vapid 
nonsense  was  certainly  the  most  popular  with  the  other 
sex;  and,  consequently,  he  who  could  lay  claim  to 
neither  of  these  attainments  had  no  hope  when  brought 
in  contrast  with  him. 

"  Why  did  I  leave  Fort  Grandon  ?  "  was  the  next 
question  which  he  asked  himself,  in  his  bitterness  of 
spirit ;  "  why  did  I  come  here  to  have  my  feelings  lacer- 
ated in  this  manner  ?  Fool  that  I  was  to  suffer  my  love 
to  go  out  to  any  one  of  her  kind !  " 

Everything  that  came  to  his  mind  only  confirmed  his 
bitter  suspicions.  The  fact  of  Pipkins  remaining  so 
contentedly  with  Edith  showed  that  he  was  so  certain 
of  Lillian  that  he  was  willing  to  trust  her  with  any  one. 

Would  he  not  have  done  the  same  thing  if  he  had 
been  given  the  promise  of  Lillian's  hand?  Certainly 
any  man  would  not  fail  to  show  that  confidence  in  the 
woman  of  his  choice. 

He  was  certain,  too,  that  when  she  stepped  in  his 
boat,  it  was  done  with  a  hesitating  reluctance,  which 
graved  that  her  heart  went  in  the  other.  Did  he  not 


THE  RED  PLUME  97 

recollect  the  painful  throb  his  own  heart  gave  as  the 
suspicion  crossed  his  mind? 

"  Straws  show  the  way  the  wind  blows,"  especially 
in  love,  and  Colonel  Havens  felt  that,  if  there  was  any 
reason  for  a  person  in  the  world  to  feel  utterly  misera- 
ble, he  had  it.  It  was  the  contrast  with  his  former  hap- 
piness and  exultation  of  feeling  that  made  him  so  com- 
pletely wretched. 

A  lover  whose  sensibilities  are  warped  by  jealousy  is 
not  apt  to  be  considerate  in  his  words,  nor  is  it  likely 
that  they  will  be  understood  by  the  one  to  whom  they 
are  addressed. 

"  Lillian,"  said  he,  as  he  again  dipped  the  paddle 
into  the  water,  and  moved  slightly  away  from  her, 
"  you  said  this  Mr.  Pipkins  is  a  cousin  of  yours  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

Even  that  monosyllable  "  touched  "  the  lover ;  why 
couldn't  she  use  an  additional  word  or  two  ? 

"  His  home  is  in  Chicago." 

"  Yes." 

"  What  attraction  can  he  find  in  this  part  of  the 
world?" 

'''  That  is  a  singular  question,  and  I  might  ask  it, 
with  more  propriety,  of  you." 

"  I  might  have  known  it,"  thought  the  half-de- 
mented lover.  "  Instead  of  placing  me  on  an  equality 
with  him,  she  puts  him  first." 

"  Of  course,"  he  said  aloud,  "  he  would  naturally  be 
attracted  toward  his  cousins,  and  would  be  glad  to 


98  THE  RED  PLUME 

make  them  an  occasional  visit;  but  it  seems  to  me  he 
has  a  very  lenient  employer  to  allow  him  to  spend  so 
much  of  his  time  away  from  his  business." 

"  So  he  has,"  replied  Lillian,  as  she  leaned  over  the 
canoe  and  plashed  the  cool  water  with  her  hand, 

"  And  he  must  find  a  special  attraction  here,"  he 
added,  as  if  he  would  probe  his  own  wound  to  the  bot- 
tom. 

"  Perhaps  he  does,"  was  the  same  indifferent  reply ; 
so  indifferent  indeed  that  it  almost  maddened  the 
colonel. 

The  truth  of  it  was  that  Lillian  saw  he  was  foolishly 
jealous,  and  she  was  willing  to  allow  him  to  feel  so. 
She  was  somewhat  provoked  that  he  should  appear  so 
forgetful  of  their  surroundings,  so  regardless  of  the 
frightful  peril  that  hung  over  all,  as  to  show  that  he 
was  thinking  only  of  himself  and  his  admiration  of  her. 

Besides  she  possessed  the  trait  which  seems  to  be  the 
inevitable  characteristic  of  the  gentler  sex — the  disposi- 
tion to  coquette  with  a  man,  to  make  light  of  his  love, 
and  carefully  to  conceal  her  own. 

She  understood  what  the  matter  was,  and  she  had  no 
inclination  to  clear  away  the  clouds,  as  she  could  have 
done  in  an  instant  by  a  word. 

"What  is  his  full  name?" 

"  Augustus  Adolphus  Pipkins." 

The  Colonel  laughed  somewhat  scornfully, 

"  Phoebus !  what  a  name." 

"Don't  you  like  it?" 


THE  RED  PLUME  99 

<:  It  is  splendid — magnificent." 

"  Do  you  really  think  so  ?  "  she  asked,  looking  up  in 
the  most  artless  manner. 

"  I  never  heard  its  equal." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so ;  some  persons  think  it 
is  not  a  good  name,  but  I  cannot  see  why." 

"  I  suppose  he  is  good  company." 

"  Indeed  he  is ;  we  have  had  many  a  pleasant  sail  on 
the  lake,  and  I  do  not  see  how  we  could  get  along  with- 
out Cousin  Dolph." 

"  That's  what  I  thought,"  added  Havens  to  himself, 
but  loud  enough  to  be  heard  by  his  companion. 

"  You  seem  to  be  interested  in  our  cousin,"  contin- 
ued Lillian,  looking  up  again  in  the  face  of  her  lover. 

"  I  was  not  aware  of  any  special  interest." 

"  Then  why  so  many  questions  about  him  ?  " 

"  Simply  because  I  had  nothing  better  of  which  to 
speak." 

"  Oh !  that's  it !  He  has  been  here  several  weeks,  but 
is  now  anxious  to  get  back  to  his  home  again." 

"  Yes,  I  saw  that  he  was ;  such  persons  generally  are 
eager  to  leave  when  any  danger  appears." 

"  If  I  am  not  mistaken  Colonel  Havens  expects  to  be 
at  Fort  Grandon  to-morrow  evening." 

How  that  cut!  the  young  man  flushed,  and  barely 
checked  the  hot  reply  that  came  to  his  lips. 

"  I  have  professed  a  willingness  to  stay,  but  I  am 
bound  by  the  honor  of  a  soldier  to  return." 

"  'Dolph  promised  to  be  in  Chicago  at  an  earlier  date 


too  THE  RED  PLUME 

than  he  now  can  possibly  reach  there.    Should  any  one 
wonder,  then,  at  his  anxiety  to  fulfill  his  promise  ?  " 

"  I  see  you  are  his  champion,"  said  Havens,  impa- 
tiently. "  I  wonder  whether  you  would  defend  me  so 
violently." 

"  I  do  not  know  of  any  one  who  would  attack  you  so 
fiercely,  in  your  absence." 

Thus  it  was;  every  reply  of  that  golden-haired  little 
beauty  was  like  a  Spanish  dagger,  sharp  and  keen, 
piercing  to  the  very  heart. 

"  I  have  said  nothing  of  your  magnificent  cousin 
which  I  would  not  say  gladly  to  his  face." 

"  Then  why  not  wait  until  you  have  the  opportu- 
nity?" 

"  I  do  not  care  enough  about  him  to  meddle  in  his 
affairs." 

Lillian  laughed  softly. 

"  How  strange !  when  he  seems  to  have  occupied 
your  thoughts  to  the  exclusion  of  everything  else,  ever 
since  we  have  been  on  the  lake." 

"  Indeed,"  exclaimed  the  lover,  in  a  voice  which  was 
meant  to  be  of  a  polar  frigidity. 

"  Hew  strange !  If  we  are  to  judge  of  one's  thoughts 
by  his  words,  you  surely  will  not  deny  that  my  hand- 
some cousin  has  occupied  a  large  share  of  your 
thoughts  during  the  last  half  hour." 

"  I  am  sure  not  so  much  of  mine  as  of  yours." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,"  she  replied,  in  her  in- 
different manner,  as  she  leaned  over  the  boat,  and  dal- 
lied with  her  hand  in  the  water. 


THE  RED  PLUME  101 

"  i  am  sure  of  it,"  added  Havens,  compressing  his 
lips  to  keep  back  his  feelings. 

"  I  will  not  dispute  you." 

For  the  time  the  girl  had  forgotten  the  shadow  upon 
her  heart.  Now  that  her  mind  had  been  withdrawn 
from  the  appalling  gloom  which  enfolded  her  so  long, 
it  was  curious  that  it  kept  itself  away  so  long. 

"  This  man  loves  me,"  she  reflected,  as  she  leaned  si- 
lently over  the  side  of  the  boat.  "  He  is  brave,  and  no- 
ble, and  manly,  but  he  is  jealous,  and  he  has  no  reason 
to  be  so,  for  he  is  the  superior  of  my  cousin  in  every  re- 
spect. He  is  handsomer,  too,  yet  he  is  jealous  all  the 
same.  It  will  not  hurt  him  if  I  give  him  an  additional 
pang  or  two." 

And  so  the  wilful  beauty  said  nothing,  nor  did  she 
look  at  her  companion,  who  toyed  with  the  paddle  and 
kept  the  boat  gliding  slowly  and  quietly  down  the  river. 

As  for  Colonel  Havens,  he  had  succeeded  in  making 
himself  the  most  miserable  of  men;  he  even  believed 
that  he  could  look  upon  the  girl  before  him  with  in- 
difference. If  she  preferred  such  a  man  as  her  cousin, 
he  was  very  certain  that  he  should  not  object,  nor 
would  he  care.  The  world  was  large,  and  there  was  a 
path  of  glory  already  opening  before  him. 

There  is  a  love  of  independence  which  is  natural  to 
the  human  heart.  If  crushed,  it  seeks  to  rise — if  re- 
buffed, it  resents  it ;  and  so  this  lover  was  longing  to  be 
at  Fort  Grandon,  to  place  himself  at  the  head  of  his 


jcj  THE  RED  PLUME 

men,  and  lead  them  to  victory  that  should  crown  them 
all  with  glory. 

Lillian  noticed  that  the  canoe  was  now  moving  quite 
rapidly,  and  she  looked  up  in  the  face  of  her  compan- 
ion; but  he  avoided  her  gaze,  and  applied  his  paddle 
with  more  vigor  than  ever. 

"  You  seem  to  be  in  a  hurry,"  she  said,  as  they  began 
gliding  down  the  river. 

"  So  I  am." 

Her  heart  misgave  her.  Perhaps  she  had  trifled  too 
long  with  him;  she  had  misjudged  his  sensitive  nature. 

More  than  once  she  was  half  persuaded  to  apologize 
for  her  cutting  words,  and  confess  that  he  stood  first 
and  foremost  in  her  affection ;  but  pride,  so  frequently 
the  barrier  to  duty,  stood  in  the  way,  and  her  lips  were 
dumb. 

And  all  this  time  the  light  canoe  was  carried  by  oar 
and  current  down  stream,  until  they  reached  the  place 
where  the  other  boat  was  lying. 

Pipkins,  as  a  matter  of  course,  was  asleep,  but  there 
was  some  natural  surprise  felt  upon  the  part  of  the 
Colonel,  when,  as  he  glided  close  to  the  boat,  he  saw 
that  Edith  was  unconscious. 

Propelling  his  canoe  close  to  the  other,  he  brought  it 
to  rest,  and  silently  waited  for  Lillian  to  leave. 

Proud  as  ever,  she  stepped  softly  over,  and  stood  in 
the  centre  of  the  other  boat. 

"  Good-by,"  said  the  colonel,  in  a  low  tone,  as  he 
dipped  his  paddle  in  the  current,  and  glided  away. 


THE  RED  PLUME  103 

"  Good-by,"  she  replied,  inclining  her  kead,  but 
maintaining  her  standing  position  in  the  boat. 

At  every  stroke  of  the  paddle  the  heart  of  Colonel 
Havens  sank  deeper  and  deeper,  until  it  seemed  as 
though  his  strength  were  about  to  desert  him  entirely. 

But  he  resolutely  refused  to  halt  or  turn  back,  unless 
she  relented. 

Hark !  was  not  his  name  spoken. 

He  paused  and  listened.  All  was  still — could  he  be 
certain  that  she  really  had  called  to  him,  he  would  have 
turned  about  and  bidden  her  good-by  once  again — such 
a  good-by  as  his  heart  prompted  him  to  give. 

But  he  could  not  be  certain,  and  he  would  have  died 
rather  than  commit  such  a  blunder.  So  he  held  his  pad- 
dle suspended  and  listened;  but,  if  his  name  had  been 
called,  it  was  not  repeated,  and  saddened  almost  to  de- 
spair he  resumed  his  oar,  and  turned  his  face  resolutely 
toward  Fort  Grandon. 

Lillian  Prescott  had  stood  and  watched  the  vanish- 
ing canoe  with  emotions  scarcely  different  from  those 
of  him  who  sat  in  it.  Her  heart  reproved  her  for  what 
she  had  done,  and  crushing  down  her  pride,  she  called 
in  a  voice  which  sounded  to  her  like  that  of  another  per- 
son. 

"  George! " 

He  did  not  look  back,  and  she  did  not  notice  the  ces- 
sation of  his  paddle. 

"  He  is  too  proud,"  she  reflected ;  "  he  heard  me;  but 
he  spurns  me,  and  it  may  be  I  deserve  it — " 


104  THE  RED  PLUME 

The  tears  came  in  her  eyes,  and  when  they  cleared, 
the  canoe  was  gone. 

When  fairly  beyond  sight  of  her  who  had  made  him 
the  happiest  and  most  wretched  of  men,  Colonel  Hav- 
ens bent  to  his  paddle  with  renewed  energy,  and  sent 
the  light  vessel  skimming  like  a  water  fowl  down  the 
river. 

He  could  only  conjecture  as  to  the  time,  but  he  was 
certain  it  was  far  beyond  midnight,  and  he  had  no  right 
to  loiter  on  the  way. 

There  was  danger  ahead,  but  he  cared  nothing.  In 
his  present  mood,  he  would  as  lief  plunge  among  a 
horde  of  yelling  Sioux  as  to  continue  his  monotonous 
journey  without  encountering  any  peril. 

But  hard  work  is  a  good  thing  to  cool  the  brain,  and 
as  he  placed  mile  after  mile  behind  him,  he  began  to 
think  more  sensibly  of  what  had  occurred  during  his 
visit  to  Sleeping  Water  Lake. 

"  I  was  hasty,"  he  said  aloud,  as  he  allowed  the  boat 
to  float  awhile  with  the  current,  "  but  her  words  cut  me 
to  the  quick.  She  has  wounded  my  feelings,  and  I  hope 
hers  have  been  touched ;  but  how  different  from  when  I 
ascended  the  stream !  " 

The  thought  of  the  joyous  expectancy  with  which  he 
had  driven  the  canoe  up  current,  and  the  gloomy  de- 
spondency with  which  he  returned,  brought  more  than 
one  heavy  sigh  from  him. 

He  could  not  withdraw  his  thoughts  until  he  dis- 
covered that  he  was  in  the  vicinity  of  the  place  where 


THE  RED  PLUME  105 

his  comrade,  the  Otter,  had  been  shot.  Here  considera- 
tions of  personal  safety  changed  his  meditations  for  the 
time. 

By  this  time  it  was  broad  daylight,  and  there  was  the 
greater  need  of  caution. 

He  kept  close  to  the  shore,  moving  with  the  greatest 
stealth  and  silence,  and  frequently  listening  for  sounds 
of  danger. 

He  was  proceeding  in  this  manner,  when  a  rustling 
in  the  bushes  overhead  startled  him,  and  he  looked  up 
just  in  time  to  see  a  dark  body  drop  lightly  in  the  boat 
directly  in  front  of  him. 

Catching  up  his  gun  he  was  about  to  fire,  when  he 
lowered  his  piece  with  the  exclamation : 

"  Heaven  save  me !  it  is  the  Otter !  " 

"  Sh !  there  is  danger !" 

And  the  weazen-faced  redskin  picked  up  the  paddle, 
and  began  working  the  boat  himself. 

With  his  care  and  skill,  he  soon  got  it  safely  past  this 
perilous  neighborhood,  and  then  with  his  wrinkly 
smile,  he  explained  matters. 

"  Hadn't  left  you  but  a  minute,"  he  began,  in  his 
rapid  way,  "  when  I  scented  a  camp-fire,  and  climbed  a 
tree.  Hadn't  been  there  only  a  few  seconds,  when  half- 
a-dozen  of  the  Sioux  came  right  under  the  tree — looked 
up  and  saw  me — fired — didn't  hit  me — but  I  dodged 
and  yelled,  and  made  them  believe  they  did — fell  to  the 
ground — didn't  know  me — took  me  for  a  white  man  at 
first,  and  then  begun  to  ask  my  name — one  of  them 


106  THE  RED  PLUME 

knowed  me — were  going  to  kill  me — but  I  palavered 
with  them — made  some  of  them  believe  I  was  going  to 
help  join  them  in  this  massacre — they  gave  me  a  show 
— I  got  a  chance — slipped  away — knew  you  would  be 
back  by  morning — climbed  this  tree — dropped  into  the 
boat — so,  that's  all." 

The  same  day,  the  two  reached  Fort  Grandon,  where 
we  must  leave  them  for  the  present,  and  give  our  atten- 
tion to  more  stirring  incidents. 

When  certain  that  her  lover  was  gone,  and  that  he 
would  not  return  to  them,  Lillian  Prescott  sat  down  in 
the  canoe  beside  her  sister,  discovering  for  the  first 
time  that  she  was  wide  awake. 

"  Let  me  wrap  my  shawl  about  you,"  said  Edith ;  "  it 
will  protect  you  from  the  night  air." 

Clasped  in  each  other's  embrace,  the  two  reclined  in 
the  stern  of  the  boat,  which,  with  its  unusual  weight, 
sank  almost  to  the  gunwales. 

Edith  was  quiet,  and  Lillian  supposed  she  was 
asleep ;  but  she  was  mistaken.  Although  the  elder  sister 
had  said  nothing,  yet  her  woman's  instinct  told  her  all. 
She  knew  that  Lillian,  nestling  close  at  her  side,  was 
weeping  with  a  combined  grief,  such  as  her  heart  had 
never  known  before,  and  she  gently,  but  more  lovingly, 
drew  the  dear  one  to  her  heart. 

But  no  sleep  was  to  visit  their  eyes  that  night. 

Edith  was  beginning  to  relapse  into  drowsiness, 
when  she  felt  her  arm  grasped  with  startling  force,  and 


THE  RED  PLUME  107 

rising  suddenly  bolt  upright,  she  pointed  toward  the 
Jake,  and  fairly  gasped : 

"Look!" 

A  bright  star-like  point  of  light  could  be  seen  gleam- 
ing like  a  point  of  fire  across  the  lake.  The  intervening 
undergrowth  partly  obscured  it,  but  it  speedily  in- 
creased in  size,  until  a  broad  glare  of  fire  was  reflected 
against  the  sky. 

"  The  Indians  have  fired  the  house,"  added  Lillian, 
in  the  same  terrified  whisper. 

"  Perhaps,  it  is  the  house  of  Fielding?  " 

"  No ;  that  burned  when  we  were  out  on  the  lake. 
Captain  Swarthausen's  has  gone  too,  and  they  have  at- 
tacked ours.  Hark !  what  is  that  ?  " 

"  It  is  the  sound  of  guns." 

"  And  they  are  shooting  them." 

"  It  may  be  our  friends  who  are  firing,"  responded 
Edith,  who,  at  the  same  time  was  far  from  feeling  the 
hope  with  which  she  endeavored  to  inspire  her  sister. 

Indeed  she  was  sure  that  the  long  dreaded  crisis  had 
come  at  last ! 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  STRUGGLE  IN  THE  LAKE 

RED  PLUME  had  been  not  the  least  interested  specta- 
tor of  the  stratagem  of  the  Sioux,  who  had  used  Cato 
as  a  shield  in  approaching  the  house. 

From  his  position  he  calmly  watched  the  movement 
until  it  became  manifest  that  there  was  no  one  in  the 
building  that  dare  fire,  when  he  picked  off  the  redskin 
himself. 

In  the  bedlam  that  was  then  raging  all  round,  not  a 
member  of  the  Sioux  party  detected,  or  even  suspected, 
that  the  fatal  shot  came  from  outside  the  building.  They 
looked  upon  the  exploit  as  another  evidence  of  the 
"  eternal  vigilance "  of  those  within,  and  took  the 
greater  care  to  keep  themselves  beyond  their  range. 

Old  Jud,  Captain  Swarthausen  and  Muggins  were 
under  the  dense  shrubbery  along  the  lake,  to  the  west 
of  the  Prescott  cottage.  From  this  point  they  were 
watching,  with  lynx  eyes,  the  proceedings,  and  waiting 
for  the  moment  to  mingle  in  the  fray. 

At  present  it  was  the  part  of  prudence  for  both  the 
men  to  remain  invisible,  as  a  glimpse  at  either  would 
be  enough  for  the  Indians  to  detect  them,  and  the  old 
hunter  saw  no  prospect  of  his  doing  any  good. 

108 


THE  RED  PLUME 


109 


As  the  shouts  and  whoops  of  the  Sioux  reached  his 
ears,  his  eye  sparkled,  and  a  grim  smile  illuminated  his 
face. 

"  I've  fought  them  varmints  before,  and  have  raised 
the  h'ar  of  more  than  one  of  'em  in  my  time;  and  the 
way  things  look  just  now,  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  there 
was  a  little  more  of  that  business  done  atwixt  now  and 
morning." 

"  This  ain't  the  kind  of  fighting  I  am  used  to,"  re- 
plied Captain  Swarthausen,  "  although  I  did  some  of  it 
in  my  younger  days,  when  I  was  stationed  on  the  fron- 
tier. I  have  no  objection  to  standing  up  before  a  civil- 
ized foe  and  blazing  away  at  each  other;  but  may  the 
devil  take  such  a  style  of  war  as  this." 

"  I  don't  see  the  sense  of  fighting  anyway,"  observed 
Muggins,  who  seemed  to  think  it  his  duty  to  enlighten 
the  others.  "  If  everybody  in  the  world  was  like  me  and 
Fielding  there  wouldn't  be  any  such  thing  as  war  or 
massacres." 

"  Just  there's  the  trouble,  Snoopy.  The  world,  as  a 
general  thing,  happens  to  be  different ;  and  we  have  to 
take  it  as  we  find  it." 

"  I  s'pose  so,"  was  the  philosophic  assent  of  the  cor- 
pulent gentleman,  who  had  not  a  very  clear  meaning  of 
what  was  said. 

The  conversation  ran  along  in  this  desultory  manner 
for  some  fifteen  minutes  longer,  but  it  was  noticeable 
that  Jud  took  no  part  in  it.  The  reason  for  his  silence 
was  that  something  had  attracted  his  attention,  a  short 


no  THE  RED  PLUME 

distance  away,  and  its  character  gave  him  no  little  un- 
easiness. 

It  was  while  looking  toward  the  house  that  his  keen 
eye  detected  a  flash  of  water,  such  as  is  made  by  the 
leaping  of  a  fish.  It  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  clear- 
ing, which  extended  from  the  lake  down  to  the  house, 
and  at  a  corresponding  distance  with  his  own. 

He  narrowly  watched  the  place  while  the  pointless 
conversation  at  his  side  was  going  on,  and,  as  he  antici- 
pated, soon  saw  the  dark  form  of  a  canoe  put  out  from 
the  shore  and  start  directly  across  the  lake. 

"  That's  the  game,  is  it  ?  "  he  muttered,  and  then 
spoke  to  his  companions. 

"  I've  got  to  leave  you  a  while.  Thar's  a  redskin 
going  across  the  lake,  and  I  must  f  oiler  and  see  what  he 
is  after." 

He  cautioned  his  friends  to  remain  where  they  were 
until  Red  Plume  gave  them  different  orders,  and  then 
stealthily  crept  to  where  the  canoe  of  his  Indian  friend 
was  lying. 

By  this  time  he  could  only  catch  the  faintest  outlines 
of  the  swiftly  vanishing  boat  of  his  enemy,  but  he  cared 
nothing  for  this,  as  he  knew  well  enough  the  direction 
it  was  pursuing. 

Instead  of  following  in  a  direct  line  after  it  he  turned 
to  the  right  and  coasted  along  the  lake  until  certain  he 
was  beyond  all  likelihood  of  being  detected,  when  he 
dipped  his  paddle  deep  and  sent  his  frail  boat  skimming 
like  a  bird  over  the  water. 


THE  RED  PLUME  m 

Propelled  with  the  skill  and  power  he  possessed,  it 
was  not  long  before  he  struck  the  opposite  side,  at  the 
beginning  of  Crescent  River.  Here  he  backed  his  boat 
under  the  shore,  and  waited  the  coming  of  the  other. 

Old  Jud  was  morally  certain  that  he  was  consider- 
ably in  advance  of  his  enemy,  but  he  was  somewhat  dis- 
quieted by  the  fact  that  he  could  hear  nothing  of  him. 
On  such  a  still  night,  when  they  were  removed  from 
the  turmoil  and  tumult  upon  the  other  shore,  the  slight- 
est sound  could  be  heard  a  great  distance. 

He  leaned  his  head  over  and  held  it  close  to  the 
water,  and  still  hearing  nothing,  he  lowered  his  ear  un- 
til it  was  beneath  the  surface,  but  still  nought  reached 
him  upon  which  he  could  hang  the  least  probability  of 
the  coming  of  his  foe. 

This  satisfied  him  that  at  that  moment  there  was  no 
canoe  beside  his  own  anywhere  in  the  vicinity.  Whether 
the  redskin  whom  he  had  seen  put  out  from  the  other 
bank  had  detected  his  danger  and  turned  back,  or 
whether  he  had  already  landed  at  some  other  point,  was 
more  than  he  could  determine. 

His  great  fear  was  that  the  savage  had  eluded  him 
by  touching  shore  and  pursuing  his  journey  on  foot. 
This  was  a  possibility,  but  it  was  not  a  probability ;  and 
the  more  he  reflected  upon  it  the  more  satisfied  did  he 
become  that  the  Indian  was  aiming  for  the  mouth  of 
the  river,  with  the  intention  of  taking  advantage  of  its 
swift  current  and  its  general  course. 

Still,  as  moment  after  moment  passed  away,  he  al- 


112  THE  RED  PLUME 

most  unconsciously  toyed  with  his  paddle  in  the  water, 
propelling  his  boat  slowly  forward,  as  though  he  were 
impatient  to  meet  his  expected  foe. 

In  this  manner,  and  almost  without  knowing  it,  he 
had  advanced  out  upon  the  lake  until  he  caught  the  out- 
lines of  the  island,  which,  as  will  be  remembered,  stood 
very  near  the  centre. 

Not  a  little  surprised  to  discover  what  he  had  done, 
he  abruptly  halted.  At  this  juncture  a  slight  but  famil- 
iar sound  struck  his  ear,  and  with  a  powerful  sweep  he 
shot  his  boat  backward,  with  the  intention  of  driving 
it  out  of  sight. 

But  he  was  too  late.  At  that  moment  the  dark  figure 
of  a  canoe  shot  to  view  from  behind  the  island,  and 
only  the  suddenly  reversed  movement  of  the  hunter 
prevented  a  collision  between  the  two  boats. 

The  Indian  who  occupied  the  smaller  canoe  was  a 
cowardly  dog,  who  was  probably  more  noted  for  his 
fleetness  as  a  runner  than  anything  else.  Almost  any 
of  his  race  would  have  advanced  instantly  to  the  attack, 
when  confronted  by  a  single  foe,  and  engaged  him  in 
mortal  hand-to-hand  combat. 

But  such  a  thought  did  not  seem  to  enter  the  head  of 
the  Sioux  for  a  single  instant,  and  he  abruptly  started 
to  retreat,  heading  toward  the  shore  which  he  had  left 
but  a  few  minutes  before,  while  Jud  followed  hard 
after. 

It  would  have  been  an  easy  thing  for  the  hunter  to 
have  ended  the  matter  with  his  rifle,  but  he  wished  to 


THE  RED  PLUME  113 

keep  what  now  seemed  likely  to  take  place  from  the 
main  body  of  Indians,  and  just  then  the  stillness  which 
had  settled  upon  lake  and  wood  made  the  firing  of  a 
gun  fatal  to  his  purpose. 

Scarce  a  score  of  feet  were  necessary  for  the  fleeing 
Indian  to  discover  that  he  was  overmatched  in  the 
race,  and  his  white  foe  was  overhauling  him  very 
speedily.  Seeing  that  there  was  no  hope  in  this  course, 
the  savage  suddenly  plunged  overboard,  going  like  a 
loon  far  under  the  water. 

"  You  won't  get  away  from  me  in  that  style,"  mut- 
tered Jud,  who  was  terribly  in  earnest,  and  resolved  on 
using  up  this  redskin. 

With  paddle  poised  in  hand,  he  awaited  the  rising  of 
the  bronzed  head,  which  came  to  the  surface  a  short 
distance  away,  when  he  shot  toward  it. 

There  was  a  curious  sense  of  honor  about  Jud  Jud- 
kins  which  prevented  him  ending  this  contest,  as  he 
might  easily  have  done,  within  the  next  dozen  seconds ; 
but  it  seemed  so  unfair  to  him  to  remain  in  the  boat 
while  his  antagonist  was  in  the  water,  that  he  made  a 
leap  toward  him,  and  thus  placed  themselves  upon  an 
equal  footing — if  such  a  term  can  be  used  where 
neither  of  them  had  any  footing  at  all. 

But  the  dusky  dog  had  no  wish  to  encounter,  even 
under  these  parallel  circumstances,  the  terrible  Jud,  of 
whom  he  had  probably  heard  before,  and  the  minute 
the  hunter  was  within  striking  distance,  he  sank  out  of 
sight. 


H4  THE  RED  PLUME 

Jud,  with  his  knife  between  his  teeth,  dived  after 
him,  missed  him,  came  up  first,  and  calmly  awaited  his 
reappearance;  but  second  after  second  passed  away, 
and  he  saw  nothing  of  him.  He  glanced  in  every  di- 
rection, so  as  to  make  sure  of  not  losing  him  in  the 
semi-darkness,  but  nothing  was  to  be  seen  of  him. 

"  He's  gone  under  for  good,"  he  thought;  "so 
blamed  skeart  that  he  daren't  come  up  again." 

To  make  sure  he  swam  slowly  around  in  a  small  cir- 
cle, but  with  no  better  result  than  before. 

There  lay  the  two  canoes  from  which  the  occupants 
had  leaped,  silent  and  motionless.  The  faint  moonlight 
reflected  from  the  water,  gave  the  hunter  quite  an  ex- 
tended field  of  vision. 

The  keenness  with  which  he  scanned  the  whole  area 
of  the  circle  that  bounded  his  vision,  made  it  impossible 
for  a  fish  to  come  to  the  surface  without  being  discov- 
ered. Jud  was  satisfied  that  the  Sioux,  although  a 
skillful  swimmer,  could  not  have  gone,  at  the  utmost, 
more  than  fifty  feet  under  the  water,  while  the  radius 
of  his  vision  was  more  than  double  that. 

What  other  possible  solution  of  his  continued  disap- 
pearance than  that  he  had  been  drowned  ? 

The  island  was  a  hundred  yards  off,  so  that  the 
Sioux  could  have  taken  no  advantage  of  its  proximity, 
and  it  was  physically  impossible  for  any  living  creature 
to  remain  under  the  water,  without  breathing,  for  the 
several  minutes  that  had  already  elapsed  since  the  sub- 
mergence of  the  redskin. 


THE  RED  PLUME  115 

The  action  of  this  fellow  in  leaving  the  main  body  of 
the  Indians,  and  heading  across  the  lake  toward  the 
river,  satisfied  Jud  that  he  was  a  messenger  who  had 
been  despatched  to  some  point  to  procure  help  in  the  re- 
duction of  the  house  and  the  destruction  of  the  inmates. 
If,  therefore,  he  could  be  cut  off,  without  the  knowl- 
edge of  those  who  sent  him,  it  will  be  seen  that  a  vast 
deal  of  good  might  be  done,  and  it  was  not  at  all  un- 
likely that,  could  it  be  accomplished  without  the  dis- 
covery upon  the  part  of  the  others,  the  lives  of  the  en- 
tire party  of  whites  might  be  saved  by  it. 

This  will  explain  the  caution  and  determination  with 
which  the  hunter  undertook  the  business. 

"  Never  mind — he  is  gone,  and  it  amounts  to  the 
same  thing,"  he  muttered,  as  he  swam  leisurely  toward 
his  boat.  "  They'll  have  to  send  another  messenger, 
afore  they'll  get  any  more  of  the  skunks  out  here." 

He  rested  some  minutes,  listening  for  sounds  from 
the  scenes  of  the  recent  conflicts;  but  the  silence  still 
continued.  During  the  single  dive  that  he  made,  Edith 
Prescott  had  fired  her  pistol,  and  "  killed  her  man,"  so 
that  the  report  had  not  reached  him,  and  he  had  no  sus- 
picion of  what  had  happened  there  during  the  last  half 
hour. 

Perhaps  five  minutes  had  passed,  when  Jud  dipped 
his  paddle  in  the  water  and  started  toward  shore.  At 
this  instant  he  observed  that  the  other  canoe  was  gone ! 

"By  the  living  jingo!  "  he  exclaimed,  with  one  of 
his  quiet  laughs,  "  that  was  a  powerful  smart  trick  1  '* 


Ii6  THE  RED  PLUME 

So  it  was.  The  Indian,  when  he  made  his  last  dive, 
had  gone  under  his  own  canoe,  and  came  up  on  the 
other  side  of  it.  While  Jud  was  looking  wonderingly 
around  for  him,  he  was  working  his  own  boat  toward 
shore,  so  slowly  that  it  was  unperceived  even  by  the 
sharp-eyed  hunter;  and  when  the  latter,  with  his  face 
turned  partly  from  him,  sat  listening,  he  improved  his 
opportunity  to  the  utmost,  and  succeeded  in  a  very  brief 
time  in  putting  himself  beyond  all  danger. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  TORCH 

WHILE  Jud  Judkins  was  engaged  with  the  Sioux 
upon  the  lake  (and  so  cleverly  outwitted,  as  we  have 
shown),  a  scarcely  less  interesting  encounter  had  taken 
place  upon  the  land,  with  the  prospect  of  producing  far 
more  serious  results. 

After  the  hasty  admission  of  the  negro  Cato  into  the 
councils  of  the  besieged,  there  was  comparative  quiet 
for  some  time.  The  Sioux  had  received  indisputable 
demonstration  of  the  fierceness  of  resistance  they  had 
to  encounter,  and  they  held  off  until  they  could  devise 
some  less  dangerous  means  of  bringing  the  whites  to 
submission. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  messenger  was  sent 
across  the  lake,  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  reinforce- 
ments, and  was  compelled  to  turn  back  by  the  hunter 
Jud.  The  truth  of  the  matter  was  that  the  Indians  had 
been  so  weakened  by  their  losses  that  they  saw  their 
purposes  could  scarcely  be  accomplished  except  by  ad- 
ditional help,  or  by  springing  some  unexpected  and  un- 
prepared-for  scheme  upon  them. 

They  had  already  suffered  so  severely  at  their  hands 
that  they  were  incited  by  the  basest  of  passions — re- 


n8  THE  RED  PLUME 

venge ;  and  there  was  no  mercy  to  be  expected  if  any  of 
the  whites  should  fall  into  their  power. 

The  great  ally  upon  which  the  Indians  counted  was 
fire,  and  it  was  this  that  our  friends  feared  more  than 
anything  else.  Could  the  torch  be  applied  to  the  build- 
ing, and  the  flames  get  fairly  started,  it  would  burn 
like  touch-wood,  and  the  death  struggle  would  be  pre- 
cipitated upon  them. 

The  barn  was  in  dangerous  proximity,  and  there  was 
no  possibility  of  preventing  this  from  being  fired,  and 
both  Prescott  and  Fielding  wondered  that  this  natural 
recourse  had  been  left  so  long. 

But  the  Sioux  had  sufficient  reasons  for  their  for- 
bearance. In  the  first  place,  the  night  was  so  calm  that 
it  was  only  a  possibility  of  the  flames  reaching  the 
house,  while  the  broad  glare  would  be  likely  to  expose 
some  of  them  to  the  unerring  rifles  of  those  within. 

There  were  several  shadowy  forms  flitting  in  and 
out  the  barn  constantly,  only  waiting  until  the  spring- 
ing up  of  a  breeze,  or  until  orders  were  given  to  apply 
the  torch.  The  horses  had  already  been  removed,  and 
there  was  almost  a  quarrel  over  the  division  of 
the  plunder. 

Among  the  shadowy  figures  that  were  sometimes 
within  the  barn,  was  Red  Plume,  who,  in  this  manner, 
kept  himself  informed  of  the  movements  of  his  ene- 
mies. 

The  incipient  wrangle  which  began,  on  account  of 
the  rival  claimants  of  different  parties  to  the  horses 


THE  RED  PLUME  119 

broke  out  again,  and  became  serious,  three  separate 
warriors  mingling  in  it  and  drawing  their  knives. 

It  would  have  been  a  good  thing  for  the  whites  could 
this  have  continued  until  it  came  to  blows,  as  every  in- 
jury inflicted  by  the  Sioux  upon  each  other  was  pre- 
cisely so  much  gain  to  our  friends. 

Unfortunately,  however,  the  man  who  succeeded 
Jarrik,  as  leader,  was  equal  to  the  occasion.  Seeing 
that  his  followers  were  becoming  too  much  incensed  to 
listen  to  reason,  he  seized  one  of  the  horses  by  the  head, 
cut  its  throat,  and  then  sent  a  bullet  through  the  brain 
of  the  other,  settling  the  dispute,  as  did  the  captors  of 
Miss  MacCrea,  a  hundred  years  before. 

There  being  nothing  left  for  the  redskins  to  dispute 
over,  they  naturally  stopped  disputing,  and  all  became 
serene  again.  They  accepted  the  situation,  and  were 
only  the  more  eager  to  avenge  themselves  upon  the 
innocent. 

As  the  time  passed,  the  vigilance  of  those  within, 
if  possible,  increased.  Mrs.  Prescott  and  Cato  took 
their  position  near  Lige,  who  muttered  that  he  did  not 
need  their  presence,  and  seemed  specially  vengeful  to- 
ward his  sable  companion. 

Mrs.  Prescott,  however,  would  not  allow  the  servant 
to  depart,  and  so  the  three  remained  together.  The 
husband  was  equally  faithful  in  guarding  another  side 
of  the  house,  while  Dinah  was  omnipresent,  and  kept 
her  kettle  "  boiling  hot, "  ready  and  anxious  to  give 


120  THE  RED  PLUME 

another  bath  to  those  who  had  so  maltreated  her 
"  infant.  " 

Fielding  was  a  sort  of  general-in-chief.  He  had  re- 
turned to  his  station  in  the  third  story,  from  which 
point  he  was  unremitting  in  his  vigilance.  His  prin- 
cipal aim  was  to  detect  and  frustrate  the  strategic 
schemes  of  the  redskins,  and  at  the  same  time  be  on 
the  lookout  for  any  signals  that  his  friends  might  make. 

Great  as  was  the  peril  that  had  hung  over  the  party 
for  the  last  few  hours,  the  Friend  had  fired  his  gun  but 
once,  and  that,  as  will  be  remembered,  was  aimed  at  no 
one,  and  only  intended  to  assist  Red  Plume  in  his 
flight  from  the  building.  Up  to  this  point,  he  felt  that 
he  had  been  a  consistent  Quaker,  but  there  was  no  tell- 
ing how  long  that  pleasant  feeling  would  continue. 

The  dim  moonlight  was  just  sufficient  for  the  whites 
to  detect  any  insidious  approach  of  their  foes.  The 
house  being  surrounded  by  a  clearing  on  every  side, 
any  savage  was  thus  exposed  to  their  bullets,  and  hence 
the  necessity  of  the  extremest  caution  in  any  attempt 
they  might  choose  to  make. 

The  danger  incurred  by  the  Sioux  has  been  made 
clear  to  the  reader.  It  was  not  only  necessary  to  reach 
the  building,  but  to  remain  there  until  preparations 
could  be  completed,  and  a  fire  kindled. 

Once  beside  the  house,  the  inmates  could  not  fire 
down  upon  their  assailants,  but  they  had  a  potent  ally 
in  Dinah,  who  harbored  her  boiling  water  with  an  ap- 
preciative sense  of  its  value,  while  the  windows  and 


THE  RED  PLUME  1 21 

(doors  made  it  easy  for  them  to  open  suddenly,  do  what 
shooting  they  chose,  and  close  and  secure  them  again 
before  any  harm  would  be  likely  to  befall  them. 

All  this  was  understood  by  no  one  better  than  the  as- 
sailants themselves,  whose  tardiness  in  making  any  real 
courageous  attack,  is  thus  explained. 

The  vigilant  Fielding  was  alone  in  the  upper  story, 
intently  scanning  the  lake  and  clearing,  watching  and 
listening,  when  a  slight  noise  on  the  roof,  directly  over- 
head caught  his  ear,  and  drew  his  attention  in  that  di- 
rection. 

There  was  a  small  trap-door  here,  secured  from 
within,  and  barely  sufficient  to  admit  the  passage  of  a 
moderately-sized  man.  The  slight  rustling,  when  it 
struck  his  ear,  was  immediately  beside  this,  and  he  sus- 
pected at  once  that  there  was  an  Indian  on  the  roof 
seeking  to  enter  the  building  from  that  direction. 

But  how  came  he  there?  was  the  question  which 
the  Friend  involuntarily  asked  himself. 

That  he  had  come  up  from  the  kitchen  roof  was  his 
first  supposition — but,  when  he  came  to  reflect  upon  it, 
that  seemed  impossible  in  the  face  of  those  below. 
Then  he  reflected  that  he  might  have  taken  advantage 
of  some  adjoining  tree;  but  this  was  still  more  im- 
probable, as  there  was  no  tree  near  enough  to  make  it 
possible,  even  for  such  a  gymnast  as  Hanlon. 

However,  it  was  certain  that  some  one  was  there, 
and  it  was  no  time  for  speculation  or  theorizing.  If  he 
was  there,  it  was  for  no  good. 


122  THE  RED  PLUME 

The  great  apprehension  of  Fielding  was,  that  he 
would  set  fire  to  the  dry  material  of  the  roof,  before  he 
could  be  prevented. 

Then  came  the  hope  that  perhaps  it  was  Jud  or  Red 
Plume ;  but  "  sober  second  thought "  dissipated  this 
last  hope. 

The  treacherous  savage  could  be  heard  slowly  crawl- 
ing along  the  roof  as  if  he  had  not  yet  reached  the 
point  he  was  seeking,  'although,  as  we  have  stated,  he 
was  in  the  immediate  proximity  of  the  trap-door. 

The  latter  was  secured  by  an  ordinary  wooden  but- 
ton, but  as  the  outer  side  offered  no  projection  for  seiz- 
ing it,  this  was  all-sufficient. 

There  was  no  light  in  Fielding's  room,  and  taking 
one  of  the  chairs,  he  placed  it  directly  beneath  the  trap- 
door, and  stood  upon  it,  so  that  his  head  was  brought 
directly  beneath  it,  and  he  could  hear  distinctly  any 
movement  upon  the  outside. 

Standing  thus,  he  listened,  but  the  slight  disturbance 
had  ceased.  Satisfied,  however,  that  only  a  few  inches 
separated  him  from  one  of  the  "  heathen,  "  he  became 
the  more  alarmed  at  the  profound  stillness. 

Softly  he  turned  the  button,  and  then  gently  pressed 
upward,  but  the  door  did  not  move.  He  pushed  with 
more  force,  but  with  no  better  result.  Then  he  knew 
the  reason  why. 

The  Indian  was  upon  it! 

Fielding  stepped  down  again,  and  picked  up  his  gun. 
He  was  certain  that  the  Sioux  was  crouching  upon  the 


THE  RED  PLUME  123 

3oor,  and  he  was  none  the  less  certain  that  the  three- 
quarter  inch  pine  board  of  which  it  was  composed, 
could  be  perforated  by  the  ball,  as  though  it  were  card 
paper,  and  the  Indian  slain  by  the  same  missile  with  as 
much  ease  and  certainty  as  if  he  stood  clearly  revealed 
before  him. 

He  raised  the  hammer  of  his  gun,  but  immediately 
lowered  it  again,  and  set  the  weapon  back. 

"  It  may  be  Red  Plume;  but,  even  if  a  heathen,  I 
will  not  needlessly  shed  his  blood.  " 

Once  more  he  pressed  against  the  door,  and  it 
yielded.  The  Indian  had  moved  off  it.  Raising  it 
scarcely  an  inch,  he  peered  through  the  narrow  open- 
ing, and  his  heart  gave  a  leap  as  he  saw  a  small  star- 
like  point  of  light,  on  the  lower  edge  of  the  roof. 

The  Sioux  had  already  set  fire  to  the  building! 

As  he  gazed,  the  Friend  caught  the  outlines  of  the 
Indian  in  a  stooping  position,  and  intently  busy  with 
his  incendiary  work.  He  had  gathered  together  a  little 
bunch  of  dry  twigs,  which  he  had  probably  brought 
with  him,  and  by  means  of  a  common  lucifer  match, 
had  ignited  them. 

The  blaze  as  yet  was  but  a  mere  point,  and  he  was 
carefully  nursing  it  by  encircling  it  with  the  palms  of 
his  hands  and  gently  blowing  it. 

It  would  have  been  the  easiest  matter  in  the  world 
for  Fielding  to  have  thrust  the  muzzle  of  his  gun  out 
of  the  trap-door,  and  doubled  up  the  redskin  like  a 
jack-knife.  But  he  hesitated.  So  long  as  there  was  3 


I24  THE  RED  PLUME 

possibility  of  accomplishing  his  purpose  in  any  other 
way,  he  was  not  willing  to  shed  blood,  and  he  thought 
he  saw  his  way  clear. 

When  the  Quaker  assumed  the  upright  position  upon 
the  chair,  his  head  and  shoulders  protruded  through 
the  uplifted  door,  and  he  quickly  but  silently  laid  it 
over  upon  the  roof.  At  the  same  instant  he  leaped  out 
as  nimbly  as  a  monkey,  landing,  in  a  stooping  position, 
within  twenty  inches  of  the  redskin. 

The  latter  heard  the  rush  and  thud  as  he  struck  the 
roof,  and  leaving  the  blaze  to  itself,  turned  his  head 
with  the  quickness  of  lightning. 

Before  the  contracted  pupil  of  his  eye  could  accom- 
modate itself  to  the  gloom  toward  which  it  was  turned, 
a  clenched  fist  struck  him  in  the  face,  very  much  after 
the  manner  of  a  sledge-hammer. 

He  threw  out  his  arms  and  endeavored  to  clutch  his 
assailant,  but  he  was  taken  at  too  much  disadvantage, 
and  went  off  the  roof  backward. 

"  Go  thy  way  in  peace !  "  remarked  Fielding,  as  he 
saw  his  heels  disappear  over  the  eaves. 

And  the  Sioux  obeyed  him. 

Subsequent  discoveries  led  to  the  supposition  that 
this  Indian  struck  upon  his  head,  and,  as  he  fell  quite  a 
distance,  he  never  rose  arain. 

It  was  the  work  of  a  few  seconds  for  Fielding  to 
dash  out  the  tiny  blaze,  which  was  just  then  beginning 
to  eat  into  the  roof.  He  then  made  a  hasty  survey,  to 
be  sure  that  the  fire  had  been  started  nowhere  else. 


THE  RED  PLUME  125 

Finding  nothing,  he  leisurely  descended  through  the 
trap-door,  and  fastened  it  after  him. 

"  Verily,  the  heathen  are  seeking  to  encompass  our 
ruin,"  was  his  truthful  reflection  as  he  quietly  took  hi? 
station  and  looked  cautiously  forth  for  signs  either  of 
his  friends  or  enemies. 

Fielding  had  acquitted  himself  brilliantly,  beyond 
question ;  but  when  he  had  cooled  down  somewhat,  and 
had  time  to  reflect  upon  the  extraordinary  occurrence 
in  which  he  had  participated,  he  was  made  more  uneasy 
and  apprehensive  by  it  than  from  anything  that  had 
happened  since  the  beginning  of  the  siege. 

It  was  unaccountable  to  him  how  this  Indian  reached 
the  highest  portion  of  the  roof  without  detection.  He 
could  not  believe  that  it  had  been  done  through  col- 
lusion with  Lige,  who,  as  he  believed,  had  made  such 
a  splendid  and  timely  shot  an  hour  or  so  before,  and 
besides,  even  if  he  was  treacherous  enough  to  do  such 
a  thing,  he  had  companions  with  him  who  would  detect 
the  scheme  the  instant  it  was  attempted. 

The  cause  for  alarm  was  the  probability  that  the 
Indians  had  found  some  way  of  reachin-  the  most  vul- 
nerable portion  of  the  building,  of  which  the  inmates 
knew  nothing,  and  which,  if  they  should  discover,  they 
were  unable  to  stop. 

While  the  Quaker  was  thus  reflecting1,  he  observed  a 
gradual  lighting  up  of  the  lake  in  front  of  him.  He 
found  that  his  range  of  vision  was  becoming  more  and 
more  extended,  and  but  a  few  minutes  passed  when  he 


126  THE  RED  PLUME 

caught  the  faint  outlines  of  the  island  far  out  in  the 
lake. 

At  the  same  instant  the  glow  was  reflected  against 
the  sky  with  a  peculiar  redness  which  left  no  doubt  in 
his  mind  as  to  what  it  meant. 

A  moment  later,  Cato  came  tearing  up  the  stairs, 
fairly  wild. 

"  O  de  gracious  hebbin !  Massa  Fielding !  what  do 
you  s'pose  de  darkies  hab  done  ?  Dey're  set  fire  to  your 
house,  and  it's  all  burnin'  up !  Golly,  ain't  my  old  wo- 
man mad ! " 

"  I  thank  thee,  Cato,  for  the  information,  but  I  dis- 
covered it  a  few  minute*,  ago.  Do  thou  go  below  and 
assist  thy  kind  mother  in  watching  against  the  stealthy 
approach  of  the  heathen.  " 

The  negro  stood  for  a  moment  staring  in  blank 
amazement  at  the  dark  form  of  the  Quaker,  just  visible 
against  the  field  of  partial  light  behind  him.  Then  he 
turned  about  and  retraced  his  steps,  muttering: 

"  I  don't  b'lieve  he'd  get  mad  if  somebody  should  set 
fire  and  burn  him  up.  " 

Cato  carried  the  intelligence  of  his  reception  to  his 
mother,  who  was  indignant  that  the  matter  was  taken 
so  coolly  by  the  one  principally  concerned. 

"It's  jis'  like  some  folks!"  she  replied.  "When 
you  was  out  dar,  singin'  out  to  me  in  your  sweet  voice 
to  come  and  help  you,  he  jus'  put  his  arms  'round  me, 
give  me  a  big  hug,  and  wouldn't  let  me  go  out  to  you. 
Wai,  I'm  sartin  if  he  doesn't  care,  /  doesn't !  " 


THE  RED  PLUME  127 

And  with  this  philosophic  conclusion  she  bustled 
around  the  room,  and  examined  the  water  to  see 
whether  it  was  boiling. 

"  Dar  ain't  any  dat  water  to  spare,  and,  Cato,  you 
mustn't  get  dry — " 

"  O  mommy !  "  burst  out  the  infant,  "  I  know'd  dar 
was  sumfin'  I  forgot !  I'm  jist  as  dry  as  a  fish.  " 

The  probabilities  were  that  the  boy  would  not  have 
become  sensible  of  his  condition  for  a  long  time  but  for 
this  reminder  upon  the  part  of  his  parent. 

"  Shet  up!"  said  she,  spitefully;  "  jis'  like  you. 
Which  would  you  ruther  hev,  one  ob  dem  darkies  crawl 
in  de  winder  and  kill  us  all,  or  go  a  little  dry?  " 

But  the  spoiled  child  could  not  be  reasoned  out  of 
his  crying  mood,  and  he  knew  he  had  but  to  persevere 
a  few  minutes  longer  to  succeed.  So  it  came  about 
that  a  large  portion  of  the  hydrogen  on  hand  went 
down  the  capacious  throat  of  Cato,  and  the  stock  of 
water,  as  a  consequence,  was  rendered  much  less,  and 
all  the  more  precious. 

"  Now,  you  go  up  stairs  and  help  Lige  watch,  "  said 
she.  "  You  ain't  no  good  hyar,  and  de  next  thing  will 
be  you'll  ax  for  sumfm'  to  eat.  " 

Thus  reminded,  the  son  all  at  once  became  raven- 
ously hungry,  and  there  was  no  quieting  him  until  he 
had  surrounded  a  fearful  quantity  of  food. 

Then,  reflecting  that  there  was  nothing  more  that 
he  was  capable  of  doing  for  the  benefit  of  his  corporeal 
existence,  he  made  his  way  to  the  second  story,  where 


I28  THE  RED  PLUME 

the  other  negro  was  alone  at  his  station,  Mrs.  Prescott 
having  rejoined  her  husband  a  few  minutes  previous. 

Cato  was  in  the  best  of  humor,  and  slapping  the 
other  African  on  the  shoulder,  asked  him,  in  the  heart- 
iest manner. 

"  How  yer  gettin'  'long,  Lige?  " 

The  latter  started,  as  if  he  had  been  detected  in  a 
guilty  act,  and  turned  savagely  toward  him. 

"  What  yer  hit  me  dat  way  fur  ?  Don't  you  know 
nuffin'?" 

"  'Course  I  does,  I  tinks  I  knows  a  good  deal,  and 
my  mommy  says  I'm  the  smartest  colored  gentleman 
in  Minnesota.  " 

"  Your  mommy  is  a  big  fool !  " 

"  Better  be  keerful,  Lige ;  dat's  dangerous  to  talk 
dat  way.  " 

Lige  looked  at  him  in  the  most  contemptuous 
disgust. 

"  Who 'saf eared  ob  you?" 

"I  didn't  mean  me;  I  meant  mommy.  If  she  should 
hear  you  speak  so  unspectfully  ob  her  she'd  'light  onto 
you." 

"  Oh,  dat's  it !    What  you  come  up  here  fur  ?  " 

"  To  help  you  watch.  " 

And  reminded  of  his  duty  by  his  own  answer  to  the 
question,  Cato  leaned  forward  and  took  a  stare  out  the 
window,  and  then  stepped  back  again. 

"  Wall,  you  can  jist  go  back,  fur  I  don't  want  yer." 

"  Dat  don't  make  no  difference :  mommy  told  me  to 


THE  RED  PLUME  129 

come,  and  if  I  don't  she'll  make  me.  She  don't  keer 
fur  you.  " 

"  You  jist  go  back,  and  tell  her  I  sent  you. ':' 

"  Git  out !  I  ain't  goin'  to  do  no  such  a  ting.  You 
talk  as  though  you  was  boss  round  dese  parts.  " 

If  there  was  any  one  in  the  building  who  suspected 
the  fealty  of  this  evil  fellow,  Cato  was  certainly  not 
among  them  He  had  been  associated  with  him  for  a 
considerable  time  and  only  knew  him  as  a  sullen,  sulky 
negro,  who  often  muttered  threats  against  his  em- 
ployer, and,  in  fact,  with  all  whom  he  came  in  contact 

But  these,  even  when  they  came  to  the  knowledge  of 
Mr.  Prescott,  were  looked  upon  as  the  harmless  ex- 
pressions of  the  chronic  discontent  of  Lige,  and  were 
forgotten  as  soon  as  they  were  uttered. 

Cato  feared  his  mother  more  than  he  did  Lige,  al- 
though he  had  several  bouts  with  the  latter,  who  was 
was  his  master  in  every  respect,  and,  if  he  chose,  could 
have  picked  him  up  and  cast  him  out  the  window. 

But  the  infant  had  no  fear  of  any  such  calamity  be- 
falling him.  His  mother  was  within  "  striking " 
distance,  and  he  had  a  voice  which,  it  has  been  shown, 
was  all  potent  to  bring  her  through  any  danger  to  his 
assistance. 

So  Cato  backed  up  against  the  wall,  and  gradually 
slid  down  until  he  reached  the  floor,  where  he  took  an 
easy  position,  so  as  to  do  his  duty  as  sentinel,  with  as 
little  personal  discomfort  as  possible. 


I  jo  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  When  you  see  anything,  Lige,  jist  let  me  know  and 
I'll  git  up  and  take  a  look.  " 

"  Yas;  you  go  to  sleep,  "  replied  Lige,  hoping  to  get 
rid  of  his  companion  through  the  aid  of  somnolence. 

"  You  needn't  think  I'm  goin'  to  sleep,"  was  the  in- 
dignant retort  of  Cato,  at  this  slur  upon  his  vigilance. 
"  I  kin  keep  awake  as  long  as  de  next  feller ;  longer  too, 
if  I  want  to." 

"  Who  said  you  couldn't,  you  big  fool  ?  But  nobody 
wants  you  here,  and  if  you's  agwine  to  stay,  you  kin 
jist  as  well  shet  yer  eyes  as  open  them." 

"  I  tell  you  I  ain't  sleepy — not  a  bit." 

Even  while  he  spoke,  the  words  of  Cato  became 
thick  and  heavy,  and  Lige  knew  well  enough  that  he 
would  be  unconscious  within  the  next  ten  minutes. 

So  he  kept  him  mumbling  and  talking  aimlessly,  un- 
til, finally,  he  was  overcome — his  head  drooped,  and 
he  knew  no  more  of  terrestrial  things. 

In  the  meantime,  the  conflagration  of  Fielding's 
house  went  on  without  interruption.  Once  started, 
there  were  no  means  at  hand  to  check  it,  and  not  one 
of  the  four  men  who  were  crouching  outside  enter- 
tained any  thought  of  interfering  with  this  work  of  the 
Sioux.  When  the  latter  had  made  sure  that  it  was 
doomed,  they  set  up  a  series  of  howls  and  whoops, 
which  continued  a  few  minutes,  when  they  all  de- 
parted. 

Less  than  half  an  hour  had  passed,  when  old  Jud 


THE  RED  PLUME  131 

touched  the  arm  of  Captain  Swarthausen,  and  pointed 
across  the  lake. 

"  That  looks  as  though  they  hadn't  forgot  you,  Cap- 
tin." 

"  Thunderation !  "  muttered  the  latter,  as  the  deep 
gloom  at  the  point  indicated  was  lit  up  by  a  rapidly  in- 
creasing light,  which  soon  revealed  the  house  of  the 
soldier  enveloped  in  fire. 

"  Ain't  it  lucky  we  left  there  when  we  did  ?  "  whis- 
pered Muggins,  cuddling  down  as  though  fearful  the 
blaze  would  reveal  his  hiding-place. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  it  is  or  not,"  replied  the 
Captain ;  "  if  we  had  staid  there  we  might  have  pre- 
vented this." 

"  No,  you  wouldn't,"  remarked  Jud ;  "  they'd  burned 
that  up,  and  all  of  you  in  it,  if  you  hadn't  got  up  and 
got,  jist  at  the  time.  Do  you  know  what  that  is  all 
done  for?  " 

"  I  suppose  because  they  wish  to  injure  us  all  they 
can — I  can  see  no  other  reason." 

"  You  haven't  got  the  idea,  so  I'll  give  it  to  you. 
They've  burned  down  the  Quaker's  house,  and  there 
goes  yours.  The  next  will  be  the  barn,  and  then  every- 
thing will  be  ready  to  open  on  this  house  here." 

"  I  don't  understand  what  you  mean." 

"  You  see  they  want  to  fix  things,  so  if  they  do  git 
the  folks  out,  they'll  have  a  fair  chance  at  'em.  They 
might  manage  to  git  into  Fielding's  house,  and  if  druv 


,32  THE  RED  PLUME 

out  of  there,  might  be  able  to  reach  yours ;  so  as  to  save 
all  that,  they've  burned  'em  both  down,  and  if  they 
have  to  leave  here,  there  won't  be  any  other  that  can 
be  turned  to  account.  Do  you  see?" 

"  Yes ;  but  they  haven't  burned  the  barn  as  yet." 

"  That'll  go  next,  and  then  it'll  begin  to  git  hot 
around  here." 

"Yes,"  said  Muggins,  taking  the  hunter  literally; 
"  we'll  have  to  crawl  out  into  a  cooler  place,  where  the 
fire  can't  reach  us." 

"  That  won't  be  so  easy,"  laughed  Jud ;  "  that'll  be 
about  time  for  us  to  take  a  hand  in  the  business." 

"  Well,  it  may  as  well  end  one  way  or  other.  I  only 
wish  my  nephew,  George,  could  appear  about  this  time, 
with  a  squad  of  Minnesota  cavalry,  that  have  been  in 
this  kind  of  work  before.  The  greatest  enjoyment  for 
me,  in  this  business  of  war,  is  to  see  a  big  body  of  the 
enemy,  especially  when  they  are  such  a  set  of  devils  as 
these,  at  the  very  moment  when  they  are  sure  of  suc- 
cess, pounced  down  upon  by  a  lot  of  fellows,  wild  and 
furious  as  a  tornado.  I  have  '~elped  in  such  matters 
many  a  time,  and  I  tell  you  it  is  the  keenest  kind  of  fun, 
and  makes  an  old  soldier  like  me  proud  of  my  profes- 
sion." 

"  I  don't  see  much  chance  of  that  happening." 

"  No ;  George  is  not  far  away,  but  he  is  too  far  to  be 
reached  in  time  to  help  us." 

"I  am  afraid  so,"  added  Captain   Swarthausenj 


THE  RED  PLUME  133 

"  and  if  these  reinforcements  do  not  come  to  the  In- 
dians, I  see  no  reason  why  we  shouldn't  hold  our  own 
against  them." 

"  Nor  I,  either, '  was  the  emphatic  response  of  old 
Jud. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE  FLAMES 

IT  seemed  as  if  the  Sioux  were  exhaustless  in  their 
schemes  for  reducing  the  besieged  cottage  without  re- 
sorting to  an  open  attack. 

The  house  of  Captain  Swarthausen  burned  fiercely 
for  a  time,  but  it  had  hardly  begun  to  die  away,  when 
Prescott,  from  his  lookout,  became  aware  of  still  an- 
other stratagem  of  their  enemies. 

On  the  edge  of  the  clearing,  at  the  point  where  both 
the  negroes  had  first  presented  themselves,  he  detected 
a  movement,  which,  for  a  time,  he  was  unable  to  com- 
prehend, but  which  he  knew  was  another  demonstra- 
tion of  the  Indians. 

What  caught  his  eye,  was  a  dark,  irregular  body^ 
which  it  was  impossible  to  identify  so  long  as  it  re- 
mained in  the  gloom  and  shadow  of  the  wood;  but 
when  shortly  after  it  moved  out  into  the  clearing,  he 
saw  that  it  was  a  number  of  boards  or  planks,  rudely 
fastened  together,  and  intended,  no  doubt,  to  serve  as  a 
bullet-proof  screen  in  their  advance  against  the  build- 
ing. 

Against  this  device  it  was  impossible  for  the  besieged 
to  protect  themselves.  It  was  an  easy  matter  for  the 

134 


THE  RED  PLUME  135 

redskins  to  keep  their  persons  hid,  and  so  long  as  they 
did  so,  no  bullet  could  reach  them. 

Here,  then,  was  work  for  Red  Plume  and  Jud.  They 
alone  could  frustrate  the  plan,  and,  failing  to  do  so,  the 
most  unfortunate  results  were  sure  to  follow. 

The  Sioux  penetrated  the  design,  even  before  it  was 
acted  upon,  and  noiselessly  making  his  way  to  where 
the  three  men  were  concealed,  told  them,  in  his  broken 
English,  that  the  time  had  come  for  them  to  go  to  the 
assistance  of  their  friends. 

"  I'd  like  to  go  very  much,"  said  Muggins,  "  if  I  can 
be  of  any  help,  but  it  seems  to  me — that  is — that  I  had 
better  wait  here  until  everything  is  ready.  Don't  you 
think  so,  Jud?" 

"  Oh !  we  don't  want  you ;  you  needn't  be  so  skeert." 

"  I  ain't  frightened  in  the  least.  I  am  only  speaking 
for  the  good  of  the  whole  company,  you  see." 

Captain  Swarthausen  supposed,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  that  he  was  to  accompany  the  two,  but  when  he 
crawled  out  and  rose  to  his  feet,  the  hunter  gently 
shoved  him  back  again. 

"  We  can  do  better  without  you,  Captain ;  you'll 
have  to  wait  a  little  while  for  your  turn." 

He  stared  a  moment,  as  if  he  did  not  understand  the 
meaning  of  this  repulse ;  but,  convinced  that  there  was 
some  work  to  do  whose  nature  was  too  delicately  dan- 
gerous for  him,  he  merely  bowed  and  sat  down  again. 

The  two  scouts  instantly  separated,  so  as  to  approach 
the  novel  machine  of  war  from  different  directions.  It 


136  THE  RED  PLUME 

required  but  a  very  short  time  for  them  to  reach  the  de- 
sirable stand-points. 

As  they  did  so,  they  saw  that  the  planking  or  shield 
was  carefully  carried  by  three  Indians,  who  were  mov- 
ing in  a  crouching  posture,  and  were  securely  concealed 
from  the  most  vigilant  watcher  within  the  house. 

There  would  have  been  no  difficulty  in  shooting  an 
Indian  apiece  from  where  our  friends  stood,  and  Jud 
even  thought  that  he  could  wipe  out  two  with  his  own 
weapon,  by  manoeuvring  so  as  to  get  them  in  the  right 
range. 

But  both  were  anxious,  if  possible,  to  manage  the 
business  in  such  a  way  that  the  watching  and  observant 
Sioux  would  be  deceived  as  to  the  directions  from 
which  the  shots  came.  So  long  as  this  deception  could 
be  carried  out,  it  inured  greatly  to  the  advantage  of  the 
defenders,  as  it  intensified  the  appreciation  the  aborigi- 
nes already  felt  of  their  wide-awake  characteristics. 

There  was  but  one  way  by  which  this  could  be  done, 
and  even  that  was  more  likely  to  fail  than  succeed. 

If  the  Sioux  should  manage  to  place  themselves 
against  the  side  of  the  house,  they  would  be  apt  to  ex- 
pose themselves,  before  they  could  get  fairly  to  work; 
and  to  kindle  their  fire,  they  would  be  compelled  to 
leave  their  shell  altogether. 

But  whether,  in  the  collection  of  their  material  with 
which  to  kindle  a  fire,  they  would  wander  far  enough 
away  to  place  themselves  within  range  of  the  guns,  re- 
mained to  be  seen. 


THE  RED  PLUMB  137 

The  probabilities  were,  that  they  would  not,  and  yet, 
if  they  did,  then  would  be  the  opportunity  of  the 
scouts. 

As  one  half  of  the  ventriloquist's  art  consists  in  mak- 
ing his  audience  believe  they  are  going  to  hear  his 
words  from  the  point  toward  which  he  has  directed 
their  attention,  so  there  was  some  likelihood  that  even 
the  keen-eared  Sioux  would  not  detect  the  exact  loca- 
tion of  the  sharpshooters,  who  had  taken  upon  them- 
selves the  task  of  turning  back,  for  a  short  time  at  least, 
the  great  danger  from  conflagration. 

This  "  consummation  so  devoutly  to  be  wished," 
however,  was  frustrated.  An  entirely  unlooked-for 
and  inexplainable  action  upon  the  part  of  the  Sioux, 
rendered  unnecessary  any  demonstration  from  the  two 
men,  who  were  so  eagerly  awaiting  the  opportunity  to 
put  two  more  of  their  enemies  out  of  the  way. 

The  three  redskins  who  were  steadily  advancing 
with  their  shield  before  them,  had  almost  reached  the 
house,  when  they  came  to  a  halt,  and  remained  sta- 
tionary for  several  minutes. 

While  they  were  standing  thus,  Jud  heard  a  faint 
whistle  from  the  wood  behind  them.  Immediately 
after,  the  plank  structure  began  moving,  but  in  a  back- 
ward direction. 

This  retrogression  continued  until  the  wood  was 
reached,  when  the  shield  was  thrown  down,  and  they 
scattered  among  the  trees,  and  all  was  still  again. 

Neither  Jud  nor  Red  Plume,  with  all  their  wood- 


I38  THE  RED  PLUME 

lore,  could  comprehend  the  meaning  of  this  singular 
action. 

"  P'raps  they  didn't  start  right,  and  are  going  to 
try  it  over  again,"  he  muttered,  waiting  for  the  re- 
appearance of  the  curious  structure. 

But  minute  after  minute  passed,  and  nothing  more 
was  seen  of  it.  Convinced,  at  last,  that  this  stratagem 
was  abandoned,  Jud  stealthily  made  his  way  back  to  his 
two  friends,  where  he  was  speedily  followed  by  Red 
Plume. 

Here  the  two  hunters  exchanged  notes,  and  found 
that  neither  could  enlighten  the  other.  Nothing  re- 
mained to  them  but  conjecture. 

"  I'll  be  hanged  if  I  understand  it,"  said  Jud,  scratch- 
ing his  head,  and  addressing  himself  particularly  to 
Captain  Swarthausen.  "Just  at  the  minute  when  it 
looked  as  though  the  blamed  thing  was  going  to  do  the 
business  for  them,  they  jist  backs  out,  and  gives  it  all 
up." 

"  You  said  they  were  signalled  to  ?  " 

"  Exactly." 

"  The  signal  was  perhaps  intended  as  a  warning  that 
danger  threatened  them,  and  they  acted  the  part  of  dis- 
cretion." 

"  It  wasn't  that,"  was  the  decided  reply  of  the  hun- 
ter. "  Ef  the  redskins  had  larned  that  we  was  waiting 
for  the  chance,  how  long  do  you  s'pose  they  would  have 
waited  before  they'd  sent  a  dozen  bullets  through  us?  " 

"  I  see." 


THE  RED  PLUME  139 

'  You'll  have  to  hit  on  something  else,  before  you 
can  tell  us  the  reason  they  backed  out." 

"  If  you  can't  explain  it,  there  is  no  use  of  my  trying, 
so  I  give  up  the  conundrum.  But  I  do  think — " 

"  Sh ! "  interrupted  Red  Plume,  who  was  stretched 
flat  upon  the  earth,  and  who  had  detected  something 
suspicious. 

The  party,  as  we  have  intimated  in  another  place, 
were  concealed  under  a  dense  growth  of  shrubbery, 
their  hiding-place  being  reached  by  their  crawling  un- 
der it,  and  maintaining  a  prone  position,  so  as  not  to 
disturb  the  vegetation  around  them. 

When  they  conversed,  it  was  in  such  cautious  under- 
tones that  they  could  barely  hear  each  other,  and  there 
was  no  danger  of  their  voices  reaching  the  ears  of  oth- 
ers for  whom  they  were  not  intended. 

But,  for  all  that,  Red  Plume  had  detected  the 
stealthy  tread  of  a  moccasin,  and  had  given  instant 
warning. 

At  this  instant  none  of  the  others  had  heard  it,  but 
Jud's  suspicions  of  the  cause  of  the  alarm  were  in- 
stantly confirmed  by  detecting  the  same  faint  sound. 

Some  Indian  was  coming  that  way,  certainly,  though 
they  could  hardly  believe  he  was  searching  for  them,  as 
they  had  used  such  caution  and  circumspection  in  their 
movements,  that  both  were  certain  they  had  not  been 
observed. 

There  were  savages  all  around  them,  but   as   they 


140 


THE  RED  PLUME 


moved  freely  and  without  suspicion  of  being  observed, 
they  were  the  more  easily  avoided. 

Soon  the  interloper  came  so  near  that  all  heard  him. 
He  seemed  to  be  walking  slowly  by,  as  though  he  were 
searching  for  something.  When  directly  opposite,  he 
halted,  so  close,  that  even  in  the  gloom  Red  Plume 
could  distinguish  the  outlines  of  his  figure. 

Here  he  stood  a  short  time,  as  if  in  the  attitude  of 
listening,  and  then,  instead  of  moving  away,  walked 
still  nearer,  and  parted  the  bushes. 

As  he  leaned  over,  he  was  visible  to  every  one  of  the 
four  men,  who  almost  held  their  breath.  Both  Jud 
and  Red  Plume  clutched  their  knives  ready  for  the  in- 
stant use,  which  seemed  inevitable. 

But  the  four  were  literally  immersed  in  darkness, 
and  sharp  as  was  the  trained  vision  of  the  savage,  he 
could  not  detect  the  slightest  sign  of  them.  He  stood 
only  a  few  seconds,  when,  apparently  satisfied  that 
there  was  nothing  there  that  needed  looking  after,  he 
moved  on. 

Not  until  he  was  fairly  beyond  all  danger  of  hear- 
ing, did  one  of  the  men  break  silence. 

"  Cracky !  he  was  looking  for  us,"  exclaimed  Mug- 
gins, with  a  great  sigh  of  relief. 

"  If  he  had  been,  he  would  have  found  us,"  replied 
Jud;  "  but  he's  gone,  and  we  will  think  no  more  about 
him.  Red  Plume !  " 

Thus  appealed  to,  the  Indian  listened  to  something 
that  was  uttered  in  his  own  tongue.  A  few  questions 


THE  RED  PLUME  141 

and  answers  passed,  when  the  old  hunter  turned  to 
Captain  Swarthausen,  by  way  of  explanation. 

"  There's  sumfin  that  looks  worse  than  all !  " 

"What's  that?" 

"  In  the  last  half  hour  there  has  a  breeze  come  up." 

"What  of  it?" 

"  And  it's  a  northerly  wind." 

"  And  what  of  that?" 

"That's  from  the  barn  right  square  toward  the 
house." 

"  Ah!  I  see  what  you  mean.  That  is  bad,  isn't  it? 
You  seem  to  feel  certain  that  they  will  fire  the  barn." 

"  When  I  see  that,  I  am,"  replied  the  hunter,  point- 
ing in  the  direction  of  the  building  referred  to. 

No  one  saw  the  point  indicated,  but  they  knew  what 
he  meant,  and  every  eye  was  turned  to  the  north,  and 
immediately  the  appalling  truth  burst  upon  them. 

The  barn  had  been  fired,  and  the  wind  was  blowing 
directly  toward  the  house.  No  earthly  power  could 
now  save  it! 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  FLIGHT 

IT  was  far  into  the  night  when  the  barn  burst  out 
into  flames,  and  a  strong,  steady  wind  blew  it  power- 
fully toward  the  light  frame  structure  of  the  house. 

For  some  time  those  within  the  building  held  strong 
hopes  of  escaping  a  "  burning  out,"  but  only  a  few 
minutes  were  necessary  to  prove  that  nothing  less  than 
a  miracle  could  prevent  the  flames  being  communicated 
to  the  roof  over  their  heads. 

Then  Fielding  looked  hurriedly  about  him  for  quilts 
and  blankets.  There  was  an  abundance  of  these,  and 
he  dashed  down  stairs  to  Dinah. 

"  Now,  if  thee  will  help  me,"  he  said,  "  we  will 
speedily  saturate  these  with  water,  and  I  will  hasten 
through  the  trap  door,  and  spread  them  upon  the  roof, 
and  thus  perchance  we  may  check  the  conflagration." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  saterate  them?  "  asked  the 
cook,  with  her  knuckles  against  her  sides,  and  her  arms 
akimbo. 

"  Wet  them— soak  them." 

"What  with?" 

"  Water,  of  course." 

Dinah  shook  like  an  immense  bowl  of  jelly. 

142 


THE  RED  PLUME  143 

"  Dar  ain't  a  peck  ob  water  in  de  house ;  my  baby 
drunked  'bout  a  bushel  himself." 

The  Friend  recoiled,  thunderstruck. 

"  Verily,  I  am  astonished,"  said  he,  almost  in  a  de- 
spairing tone. 

"  It  would  'stonish  anybody  to  see  dat  baby  eat  and 
drink.  Why,  only  toder  day — " 

But  the  affrighted  Friend  did  not  stay  to  hear  her 
through.  The  next  minute  he  was  in  the  second  story, 
where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prescott  were  fairly  stunned  at 
the  magnitude  of  the  calamity  that  had  come  upon 
them  so  suddenly. 

"  We  are  lost !  we  are  lost ! "  moaned  the  latter, 
wringing  her  hands,  and  walking  back  and  forth. 
"  Why  do  not  Red  Plume  and  Jud  come  to  our  assist- 
ance? Have  mercy,  Heavenly  Father!" 

She  was  constantly  praying  to  Him  who  alone  could 
save  her,  while  the  husband  was  beseeching  help  from 
the  same  divine  source. 

"  Do  thee  haste  to  the  lower  story,  "  commanded 
Fielding,  taking  hold  of  each,  and  shoving  them  to- 
ward the  stairs.  "  We  will  all  meet  there,  and  prepare 
to  rush  from  the  door." 

The  two  mechanically  obeyed  him,  hardly  con- 
scious of  what  they  were  doing,  or  what  he  had  said; 
and  tarrying  only  long  enough  to  make  sure  of  his 
order  being  heeded,  the  young  man  rushed  into  another 
room  for  Lige  and  Cato. 

This  apartment  was  illuminated  by  the  glare  of  the 


144  THE  RED  PLUME 

burning  barn,  and  the  instant  he  burst  open  the  door, 
he  saw  the  latter,  curled  up  and  sound  asleep  upon  the 
floor,  while  Lige  was  in  the  very  act  of  climbing  out 
the  window. 

Like  a  panther,  the  Quaker  leaped  entirely  across  the 
room,  and  catching  the  negro  by  the  arm,  drew  him  in 
with  such  violence  that  he  was  thrown  prostrate  upon 
his  face. 

The  shock  awoke  Cato,  who  stared  about  him  in 
bewilderment. 

"  What  de  ole  Harry  is  de  matter?  "  he  asked,  blink- 
ing and  staring  around  in  the  strong  light.  "  Dar  must 
be  a  'clipse  ob  de  moon,  dat  frowed  Lige  out  ob  bed, 
and  Master  Fielding-  am  picking  him  up.  " 

By  this  time  the  baffled  African  was  upon  his  feet, 
sullen  and  scowling. 

"What  you  catch  hold  me  dat  way  fur?"  he  de- 
manded, clutching  and  working  his  fingers  as  if  he  held 
an  invisible  knife,  which  he  was  about  to  bury  in  the 
body  of  the  Friend. 

"  Thou  wert  running  into  great  danger,  for  the  hea- 
then will  see  thee,  and  fire  their  guns  at  thee.  " 

"  Wai,  won't  we  git  burned  up  if  we  stay  h'ar?  " 

"It  is  not  our  intention  to  remain  here.  We  pro- 
pose to  leave  the  house,  but  not  by  way  of  the 
window.  " 

"  How  you  gwine  to  git  out  den  ?  " 

"  Go  to  the  lower  floor,  and  when  all  is  ready  we 
will  make  a  rush,  and  perchance  through  the  assistance 


THE  RED  PLUME  145 

of  Divine  Providence,  and  our  friends  who  are  sta- 
tioned on  the  outside,  some  of  us  may  escape  to  a  place 
of  safety.  " 

Lige  stood  without  moving.  Baffled  at  all  points, 
treated  with  rudeness  and  insult,  he  was  about  ready 
for  open  revolt.  The  opportunity  was  good,  when  the 
attention  of  those  who  esteemed  themselves  his  masters 
was  taken  up  with  the  terrible  danger  upon  them. 

But  when  Lige  looked  up  and  saw  the  gleam  of  the 
eyes  that  were  fixed  upon  him,  he  quailed,  and  obeyed 
like  a  whipped  dog.  Without  a  word  he  disappeared 
down  stairs. 

At  this  juncture  the  voice  of  Dinah  was  heard  call- 
ing to  her  baby  to  hurry  down,  without  an  instant's 
delay,  and  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  her  sum- 
mons was  not  in  vain. 

Once  more  Fielding  ran  to  the  upper  story  to  see 
whether  there  was  any  possible  means  by  which  any 
could  escape  from  the  building  in  that  direction. 

But  there  was  none,  and  he  hurried  to  the  window 
for  some  signal  from  his  friends.  They  were  on  the 
alert.  On  the  edge  of  the  clearing,  next  the  lake,  he 
caught  sight  of  an  Indian,  who  instantly  made  a  curi- 
ous gesture  with  his  arm ;  but  the  Quaker  understood 
it,  and  he  made  a  returning  signal  as  a  promise  that  the 
advice  of  Red  Plume  would  be  followed. 

As  Fielding  started  to  move  away,  he  heard  a  crack- 
ling noise  over  his  head  which  arrested  him.  Listening 


146  THE  RED  PLUME 

a  moment,  he  sprang  upon  a  chair,  and  slightly  raised 
the  trap-door. 

His  worst  fears  were  realized.  The  storm  of  blazing 
cinders  that  filled  the  air  had  driven  large  numbers 
upon  the  roof,  and  the  twists  of  flame  could  be  seen  in 
a  dozen  places,  spreading  and  burning  with  a  fierceness 
which  showed  how  good  a  fuel  not  only  they,  but  the 
whole  building,  were,  and  how  speedily  the  entire 
structure  would  be  reduced  to  ashes. 

The  Sioux  were  wild  with  delight.  They  could  be 
seen  leaping,  and  running,  flinging  their  arms,  screech- 
ing, whooping,  howling,  and  acting  like  so  many  imps 
of  darkness. 

And  justly  so;  for  had  they  not  triumphed  at  last? 
They  had  lost  a  few  of  their  number,  but  now  they 
could  revenge  themselves  in  whatsoever  manner  they 
chose.  The  whole  household  were  doomed,  and  a  few 
minutes  more,  and  the  victory  would  be  complete. 

The  ingenuity  of  the  human  mind  is  wonderful,  and 
the  shrewdness  displayed  by  the  friendly  Sioux,  in  this 
dreadful  crisis,  was  amazing.  It  is  a  well-known  fact 
that,  during  the  Minnesota  massacres — as  has  often 
been  the  case  before  and  since — brave  men  were  stupe- 
fied by  the  appalling  character  of  the  danger  which 
burst  so  suddenly  upon  them.  In  one  case  a  reeking 
redskin  leaped  into  a  wagon,  containing  not  only 
women,  but  grown-up  men,  and  tomahawked  one  after 
the  other,  without  any  resistance,  the  men  sitting  with 


THE  RED  PLUME  147 

drooping  arms  and  stolid  faces,  and  receiving  the 
death-blow  without  moving  a  muscle  in  defence. 

But  Red  Plume  was  one  of  the  few  whose  mind 
seemed  to  rise  above  every  peril  encountered.  The 
greater  its  magnitude,  the  more  fertile  was  he  in  his 
intellectual  resources. 

The  truth  was,  he  had  been  through  such  scenes  as 
this  before,  and  there  was  hardly  a  quickening  of  a 
pulse-beat,  as  he  partly  screened  himself  in  the  edge  of 
the  wood,  and  signalled  to  Fielding  to  bring  himself 
and  friends  from  the  front-door,  and  advance  directly 
across  the  clearing,  where  they  would  inevitably  be 
captured  without  exception. 

Indeed  the  young  Quaker  displayed  an  ingenuity 
scarcely  second  to  that  of  his  dusky  friend. 

He  reasoned,  that  if  the  men  ventured  first,  they 
would  instantly  be  shot  down  to  prevent  their  escape, 
while  the  women  coming  after,  would  be  captured.  As 
the  latter  calamity  was  unavoidable,  all  that  could  be 

clone  was  to  avert  the  former. 

•^ 

The  only  method  of  doing  this  was  for  the  fugitives 
to  rush  out  in  a  body.  The  presence  of  the  females 
would  probably  prevent  their  being  fired  upon — but  if 
that  failed,  there  was  nothing  more  to  be  done. 

The  upper  part  of  the  house  was  one  roaring  mass  of 
flames,  and  there  was  imminent  danger  of  the  roof  fall- 
ing in  every  moment. 

Fielding  unbarred  the  front  door  with  his  own 
hands. 


148  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  Thou  wilt  place  thine  arm  around  thy  wife,"  said 
he,  addressing  Mr.  Prescott,  "  and  run  for  the  large 
oak  which  is  on  the  edge  of  the  clearing.  ' 

"  But  we  cannot  reach  it;  the  consequences  will  be 
certain  death.  " 

"Think  not  of  consequences,  but  do  thy  duty  and 
trust  to  God.  " 

"And  you?" 

"  Will  follow  with  Dinah  and  Lige  and  Cato.  " 

"Whar  dat  baby  ob  mine  ?  "  demanded  the  African 
mother,  whirling  round,  and  catching  him  by  his  ear. 
"  You  take  hold  my  hand,  Cato,  and  if  you  tries  to  run 
away,  I'll  whack  you  till  you  can't  stand.  " 

"  If  by  any  possibility  we  should  reach  the  wood?  " 
asked  Prescott,  turning  to  Fielding. 

"  Keep  down  the  side  of  th  e  lake,  and  run  as  fast 
as  thou  canst.  " 

In  that  solemn  moment,  when  all  stood,  as  it  were, 
in  the  very  presence-chamber  of  death,  it  was  but  natu- 
ral that  an  appeal  should  be  sent  up  to  the  only  Power 
that  could  stretch  forth  its  hand  to  save  them. 

And  the  whole  party,  excepting  the  negroes,  who,  it 
may  be  said,  had  no  realizing  sense  of  their  situation, 
bowed  their  heads,  and  in  silence  sent  up  such  an  appeal 
to  God,  as  only  the  human  heart  can  do,  when  the  dark- 
ness of  death  is  closing  around,  and  no  mortal  being 
can  help.  Thus  the  soul  turns  instinctively  to  the  one 
great  Source  of  strength. 

The  next  moment  Fielding  drew  the  door  wide  open, 


THE  RED  PLUME  149 

and  Prescott  and  his  wife  stepped  forth.  At  this  time, 
the  burning  barn  and  building  lit  up  the  clearing  with 
a  light  stronger  than  at  noonday,  and  many  a  dark  eye 
was  fixed  upon  them. 

The  pause  was  but  for  a  moment,  when  both  started 
on  a  light  run  toward  the  point  indicated  by  the  Quaker 
before  starting. 

They  had  not  gone  one  half  the  distance  when  the 
silence  (which  had  lasted  but  a  few  seconds)  was 
broken  by  a  whoop,  and,  at  the  same  instant,  three  In- 
dians were  seen  running  diagonally  across  the  clearing, 
in  such  a  direction  as  to  intercept  them. 

"  We  are  lost !  we  are  lost !  "  moaned  Mrs.  Prescott, 
about  to  sink  to  the  earth,  when  her  husband  supported 
her. 

"  Never  mind ;  they  will  only  take  us  prisoners.  " 

The  two  made  all  haste,  and,  as  they  reached  the 
wood,  found  they  were  in  the  power  of  the  trio  of  In- 
dians, one  of  whom  instantly  took  away  Mr.  Prescott's 
gun. 

At  this  juncture,  Dinah,  the  cook,  holding  her  baby 
by  one  hand,  while  her  arm,  which  looked  like  the  leg 
of  a  piano,  rested  upon  that  of  Fielding,  sallied  forth. 

She  was  of  enormous  size,  weighing  well  nigh  two 
hundred ;  and,  as  may  be  understood,  was  not  capable 
of  going  very  fast ;  but,  under  the  urging  and  tugging 
of  Cato,  she  essayed  a  trot,  which  almost  shook  her  to 
pieces. 

Scarcely  a  rod  had  been  passed,  when  her  foot 


150  THE  RED  PLUME 

caught  in  some  obstruction,  and  she  capsized,  despite 
the  heroic  efforts  of  Fielding  to  prevent  the  catastro- 
phe. 

"  Verily,  I  fear  thou  art  grievously  injured,  "  he 
said,  as,  unmindful  of  his  own  great  danger,  he  en- 
deavored to  help  her  on  her  feet. 

"  Should  think  I  was!  "  she  groaned,  coming  up  by 
degrees.  "  Whar's  dat  Cato  ?  Gone  and  runned 
away !  Ah,  dar  he  is !  " 

And  she  caught  sight  of  her  undutiful  child  ap- 
proaching, just  at  the  moment  he  was  seized  in  the  iron 
grip  of  a  brawny  savage. 

"  Drop  dat  pet  ob  mine !  "  she  fairly  shrieked,  bear- 
ing down  upon  the  Sioux  like  a  lightning  express  train, 
under  tolerable  headway,  on  a  down  grade ;  she  struck 
him  with  a  momentum  that  was  irresistible,  and  the 
Indian  was  shuffled  a  dozen  feet  or  so  before  he  could 
check  himself. 

"  I'll  teach  you  to  be  interferin'  wid  oder  folks'  ba- 
bies !  "  she  exclaimed,  making  another  lunge  at  him, 
while  he  ingloriously  retreated,  amid  the  laughter  of 
his  comrades,  and  while  Cato  took  shelter  under  the 
wing  of  his  parent. 

"  Whar  dat  Lige  ?  "  asked  the  panting  Dinah,  glar- 
ing around  for  the  other  sable  gentleman,  but  failing 
to  see  him. 

"  He  has  fled,  "  replied  Fielding,  who  had  seen  him 
slip  off  to  one  side  and  run  in  a  different  direction. 


THE  RED  PLUME  151 

"  Wall,  he  has  allers  been  a  heap  ob  trouble ;  let  him 
go." 

There  were  now  something  like  a  dozen  Indians 
grouped  around  the  captives,  and  their  intention  was  to 
kill  every  one  of  them,  although  whether  to  do  it  now, 
or  to  wait  until  daylight,  was  a  question  which  seemed 
unsettled  by  any  of  them. 

But  thus  far  everything  had  gone  precisely  as  Red 
Plume  had  anticipated,  and  it  remained  for  him  to  give 
another  evidence  of  the  extraordinary  fertility  of  re- 
source at  his  command. 

The  number  of  Sioux  who  held  the  captives  in 
charge  was  so  large,  that  while  there  was  a  good  pros- 
pect of  their  being  overpowered,  yet  Red  Plume  knew 
it  could  not  be  done  without  a  desperate  fight,  the 
length  of  which  would  bring  all  the  Sioux  in  the 
neighborhood  into  it,  and,  in  all  probability,  insure  the 
death  of  more  than  one  member  of  the  party. 

His  object,  therefore,  was  to  divert  the  attention  of 
the  Sioux  to  another  quarter,  and  to  draw  as  large  a 
number  as  possible  away  from  the  prisoners. 

Suddenly  a  peculiar  whoop  was  heard  from  the  other 
side  of  the  clearing,  beyond  and  behind  the  blazing 
house  and  barn.  It  was  the  Sioux  call  for  assistance. 
Something  had  been  discovered  of  a  startling  nature, 
and  the  majority  of  the  redskins  made  a  rush  for  the 
spot  at  once. 

Still,  they  did  not  forget    their  usual  caution,  and 


152 


THE  RED  PLUME 


three  of  them,  fully  armed,  remained  in  charge  of  those 
whom  they  had  already  secured. 

This,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  would  have 
been  all  sufficient,  as  these  savages  were  armed  to  the 
teeth,  and  the  captives  did  not  possess  so  much  as  a 
single  knife  among  them. 

The  Sioux  had  barely  time  to  disappear,  when  a 
voice  at  no  great  distance  called  to  the  fugitives : 

"  Now  run,  right  down  'long  the  lake !  " 

No  one  saw  the  speaker,  but  Fielding  recognized  the 
voice  as  that  of  old  Jud,  and  he  lost  not  a  moment  in 
obeying  it. 

"  Now  is  our  time,  friends,  "  said  he,  "  for  truly  that 
was  the  voice  of  a  friend.  Heed  not  the  heathens,  but 
make  all  haste. 

Mr.  Prescott  and  his  wife  made  a  rush  down  the  side 
of  the  lake,  the  Quaker,  Dinah  and  Cato  attempting  to 
follow.  Lige  was  still  invisible. 

As  may  be  supposed,  they  were  hardly  allowed  to 
start,  when  they  were  fiercely  encountered  by  the  three 
Sioux  who  held  them  in  charge. 

Not  the  variation  of  a  hair's  breadth  of  the  original 
programme  of  Red  Plume  had  as  yet  occurred.  This 
was  precisely  the  number  he  had  conjectured  would  be 
left  behind  to  guard  the  prisoners,  and  that  which  now 
followed  was  calculated  upon  when  he  laid  his  course 
of  action. 

The  Indian  who  raised  his  tomahawk  in  the  face  of 
Mr.  Prescott,  in  such  a  threatening  manner,  was  sud- 


THE  RED  PLUME  153 

denly  stricken  to  the  earth,  with  his  head  cloven  by  the 
weapon  of  Red  Plume,  who  hurled  it  while  he  was  yet 
a  rod  distant.  Almost  at  the  same  instant,  old  Jud 
sprang  forward,  with  a  panther-like  movement,  and 
buried  his  knife  to  the  hilt  in  the  back  of  the  second, 
just  as  Captain  Swarthausen  made  a  lunge  with  his 
sword  at  the  third,  who  dodged  the  blow  with  no  little 
skill,  and  succeeded  in  getting  off  in  the  woods  without 
a  scratch. 

Not  a  second  could  be  spared.  In  a  few  minutes,  at 
most,  the  other  Sioux  would  detect  the  trick  that  had 
been  played  upon  them,  and  would  be  back  again. 

Prescott  and  his  wife  resumed  their  flight,  under  the 
pilotage  of  old  Jud,  while  Red  Plume  lingered  in  the 
rear,  which  was  really  the  place  of  danger. 

Dinah  had  rested  sufficiently  to  recover  her  "  wind  " 
and  she  now  pitched  forward  again,  like  an  overloaded 
elephant,  with  the  hand  of  Cato  clasped  firmly  by  her 
own,  while  the  kind-hearted  Fielding  still  supported 
her  on  the  left. 

In  this  order  the  flight  was  begun,  and  kept  up  with 
desperate  vigor,  which  it  is  almost  impossible  to  realize. 
Every  one  fully  comprehended  that  it  was  a  struggle 
for  life,  and  did  his  and  her  utmost. 

The  fugitives  had  not  yet  gotten  beyond  the  glare  of 
the  burning  buildings,  when  several  whoops  told  that 
their  flight  had  been  discovered  by  the  Sioux,  and  they 
were  in  hot  pursuit. 

If  they  could  get  fairly  within  the  darkness  of  the 


154  THE  RED  PLUME 

wood  before  being  discovered,  there  was  a  good  pros* 
pect  of  escape,  as  the  Indians  not  only  were  unable  to 
follow  their  trail,  but  had  no  means  of  detecting  the 
direction  they  had  taken. 

Fully  aware  of  this,  Jud  urged  them  to  the  utmost, 
and  the  bulky  Dinah  threw  her  whole  soul  into  the  one 
effort  to  get  over  the  ground  as  fast  as  possible. 

A  person  who  for  years  has  been  accustomed  to 
walking  at  a  moderate  gait,  is  very  apt  to  think  it  an 
easy  matter  to  run ;  but  when  he  comes  to  undertake  it, 
strange  pains  and  sprains  occur  in  different  parts  of 
the  body,  and  he  is  pretty  certain  to  break  down  all  at 
once,  and  almost  as  soon  as  he  starts. 

So  with  the  cook.  She  was  just  fairly  under  way, 
when  one  of  her  ankles  suddenly  gave  out  and  she 
dropped  as  if  shot. 

"  Dat's  orful ! "  she  groaned,  as  Fielding  again 
helped  her  to  her  feet.  "  I  b'leve  dat  leg  is  broke.  Jus' 
hear  dem  Injians  yawp.  " 

"  Strive  thy  best,"  said  the  mild-spoken  Quaker ; 
"  there  is  a  boat  close  at  hand,  in  which  thou  canst 
speedily  rest  thy  weariness.  " 

"  I  should  think  I  was  doing  my  best,  "  she  ejacu- 
lated, as  she  managed  to  get  on  her  feet  again. 

Old  Jud  would  not  allow  Prescott  and  his  wife  to 
pause,  when  the  accident  occurred  to  the  cook. 

"  Ef  we've  got  to  lose  any  one,  it  may  as  well  be 
her,  "  he  said,  as  he  hurried  them  forward.  "  Like  as 
not  she'll  sink  the  boat  anyway  when  she  gets  into  it. tf 


THE  RED  PLUME  155 

Mrs.  Prescott  was  exhausted,  and  began  to  lag,  see- 
ing which,  the  hunter  seized  her  arm  and  almost 
carried  her  along. 

It  seemed  that  the  whooping  Sioux  were  all  around 
them.  One  thing  was  certain,  they  were  not  far  be- 
hind, and  the  danger  of  discovery  was  growing  more 
imminent  each  minute. 

The  boat  in  which  they  intended  taking  refuge,  when 
there  appeared  to  be  any  safety  in  doing  so,  was  still 
some  distance  away,  while,  if  the  aborigines  should 
gain  any  idea  of  the  line  of  retreat  adopted  by  the  fugi- 
tives, they  could  easily  intercept  them,  and  turn  the 
whole  party  back  in  the  woods  again,  there  to  fall  into 
their  hands  as  soon  as  morning  should  come. 

Thus  far  our  friends  had  been  tramping  through  the 
woods ;  but  for  a  short  distance  there  was  an  open  space 
for  a  hundred  yards  or  so,  and  beyond  this  a  dense 
mass  of  undergrowth  where  the  waiting  boat  lay  con- 
cealed. 

It  was  the  intention  of  old  Jud  not  to  expose  himself 
and  friends  to  any  additional  danger,  by  entering  this 
place,  but  to  skirt  it  until  the  dense  bushes  beyond  were 
reached ;  but  at  the  very  moment  he  reached  it,  he  saw 
several  shadowy  forms  move  across  the  opposite  end, 
and  he  suddenly  drew  back. 

"  The  varmints  are  there,  "  said  he ;  "  follow  me, 
and  be  careful  not  to  speak  a  word.  " 

It  would  have  been  the  part  of  prudence  for  the 
scout  to  leave  his  friends  where  they  were,  while  he 


156  THE  RED  PLUME 

went  forward  to  reconnoitre,  but  time  was  now  of  such 
importance  that  he  took  the  more  dangerous  course  of 
allowing  them  to  accompany  him. 

But,  hurried  as  they  were,  he  could  not  forget  en- 
tirely his  usual  habits  of  caution,  and  so  considerable 
time  was  consumed  before  the  cover  of  the  under- 
growth was  reached. 

When,  however  they  got  within  this  again,  nothing 
was  seen  or  heard  of  the  Indians,  and  Jud  stole  for- 
ward until  he  reached  the  edge  of  the  lake,  where  he 
was  pleased  to  find  the  boat  lying  just  as  he  had  left  it 
hours  before. 

Prescott  and  his  wife  took  their  seats  in  the  stern, 
but  the  hunter  did  not  enter. 

"  Stay  here  till  I  come  back,  "  said  he.  "  I  must  go 
and  see  what  has  become  of  the  rest.  " 

This  was  the  very  thing  Prescott  was  about  to  ask 
him  to  do,  and  so  he  bade  him  good  speed  on  his  errand 
of  duty. 

The  fact  that  nothing  now  was  heard  of  those  in  the 
rear,  was  ominous  of  evil,  and  Jud  hurried  through  the 
wood,  expecting  at  every  step  to  receive  evidence  of  the 
whole  three  being  in  the  hands  of  the  Sioux,  as  he  knew 
that  the  Friend  was  too  chivalrous  to  desert  even  such 
an  humble  individual  as  Dinah,  the  black  cook,  when 
she  was  in  peril,  though  he  incurred  a  fate  similar  to 
hers,  by  remaining. 

But  matters  were  found  in  a  better  condition  than  he 
dared  to  hope.  About  half  way  to  the  point  where  they 


THE  RED  PLUME  157 

had  parted  company,  he  encountered  Cato,  who  at  first 
was  disposed  to  run,  but  was  quickly  checked  by  the 
cautious  voice  of  the  hunter,  inquiring  as  to  what  was 
the  matter. 

"Golly !  I  was  jist  lookin'  for  you.  " 

"  Sh !  not  so  loud !    Where's  your  mother?  ** 

"She's  gib  out  " 

"What's  the  matter?" 

"  She  tried  to  jump  ober  a  log,  and  sprained  de  off 
leg,  and  has  gib  out.  " 

"Where  is  she?" 

"  Back  yunder,  a  sittin*  on  de  wery  tree  dat  she 
broke  her  neck  ober.  " 

"Is  Fielding  with  her?" 

"  Yas ;  he's  got  a  limb  in  his  hand  brushin'  de  flies 
off  ob  her  nose,  and  she  sent  me  to  tell  you  dat  you'll 
have  to  s'cuse  her  from  runnin'  any  more  races  at 
present.  " 

"  It  won't  do  for  her  to  stay  there,  "  said  the  hunter, 
"the  varmints  are  rampagin'  through  the  woods. 
Where's  Captain  Swarthausen  ?  " 

"  Jingo !  I  hain't  seen  nuffin  ob  him  since  we 
started. " 

In  the  hurry  and  confusion  of  the  flight,  Captain 
Swarthausen  had  become  separated  from  the  others; 
but  knowing  where  they  all  were  to  rendezvous,  he 
had  probably  purposely  refrained  from  rejoining  them, 
and  had  continued  on  at  such  a  prudent  rate  as  to  make 
him  considerably  behind  Jud  in  reaching  the  boat 


158  THE  RED  PLUME 

From  the  beginning,  Muggins  had  been  set  down  as 
of  no  account,  and  he  was  despatched  to  a  point  a  half 
mile  down  the  lake,  where  they  agreed  to  call  for  him 
in  case  the  company  got  off  without  accident. 

Those,  then,  who  might  still  be  considered  in  great 
peril  were  Fielding,  and  Dinah  and  her  son. 

Show  me  where  they  are,  "  commanded  Judkins,  in 
his  cautious  manner,  "  and  be  careful  not  to  make  any 
noise  about  it,  and  keep  your  gab  shut." 

"Dat's  what  I  allers  try  to  do,"  said  Cato,  as  he  led 
the  way.  "  I  nebber  was  much  ob  a  hand  to  talk,  but 
mother  always  said  I  was,  and  I  said  I  wasn't,  and  so 
yer  see  we  had  a  'spute  ober  it,  and  couldn't  neber 
agree  'bout  it  nohow — " 

But  the  scout  was  in  no  mood  to  listen  to  the  lo- 
quacity of  the  African,  and  he  peremptorily  closed  his 
month  before  he  had  time  even  to  finish  his  sentence. 

The  shouts  and  whoops  of  the  Indians  had,  in  a 
great  measure,  ceased;  but  this  was  no  evidence  that 
they  were  not  prosecuting  the  search  with  as  great 
vigor  as  ever. 

The  burning  buildings  had  been  mostly  consumed, 
and  only  a  dull  glare  could  be  seen  where,  a  short  time 
before  the  whole  heavens  were  illuminated.  The 
property  of  the  Prescotts  had  been  destroyed,  nothing 
but  the  glowing  embers  being  left  where  the  handsome 
house  and  barn  had  stood  so  long  in  safety. 

Only  a  few  minutes  were  necessary  for  old  Jud  to 
r»ach  the  tree  where  Dinah  was  sitting.  As  he  came 


THE  RED  PLUME  159 

up,  he  found  Fielding  endeavoring  to  convince  her 
that  it  was  possible  for  her  to  make  some  progress,  if 
she  would  only  put  forth  the  attempt. 

"  I  tell  you  it's  onpossible!  "  said  she,  somewhat  pet- 
ulantly; "  dat  ar  leg  ain't  worth  shucks." 

"  But  I  will  do  my  utmost  to  assist  thee." 

"Ain't  no  use  ob  talkin'— " 

"  No ;  thar's  been  a  little  too  much  of  it,"  inter- 
rupted the  hunter,  as  he  strode  forward,  in  no  very 
amiable  mood.  "You  can  do  as  you  please,  old  Mid- 
night— sit  on  that  log  till  you  grow  fast,  or  go  'long 
with  us." 

"  Wai,  I'll  hef  to  sit  yar,  den — Masser  Fielding  and 
me  baby  can  stay  wid  me." 

14  No ;  they  can't,  I  shan't  let  one  of  'em  stay. 
You  can  set  it  out  alone,  ef  you  want  to." 

Dinah  had  seen  old  Jud  before,  and  she  had  no  de- 
sire to  thwart  him,  so  she  concluded  to  make  another 
effort. 

But  she  had  really  sprained  her  limb,  and  was  not 
able  to  walk  of  herself;  but  Fielding  assisted  at  one 
side,  and  old  Jud  at  the  other,  while  Cato  offered  to 
carry  her  shoes;  and,  supported  in  this  manner,  they 
started  for  the  lake. 

The  latter,  fortunately,  was  quite  close  at  hand, 
and  reaching  the  bank,  they  let  her  down,  gently,  where 
they  concluded  to  leave  her  until  they  could  bring  the 
boat  to  her,  while  Fielding  and  Jud  started  off  with  the 
promise  of  a  speedy  return.  Of  course,  they  could  not 


i6o  THE  RED  PLUME 

refuse  to  allow  Cato  to  remain  with  her,  although  the 
latter  would  have  been  better  pleased  in  almost  any 
other  place. 

Old  Jud  and  Fielding  had  walked  some  distance  in 
the  wood,  when  the  latter  said: 

"  As  it  seems  that  I  can  be  of  no  further  assistance 
to  thee,  if  thou  art  willing,  I  will  hasten  to  Lillian  arid 
Edith,  who,  perchance,  are  in  need  of  help." 

The  scout  could  offer  no  objection,  and  the  Friend 
vanished  almost  on  the  instant. 

When  Jud  reached  the  boat,  he  found  Captain 
Swarthausen  there  and  waiting  for  him. 

"  Where  is  Muggins  ?  " 

"  Gone  on  around  the  lake,  I  suppose.  I  haven't 
come  across  him  since  we  started." 

"  Have  you  seen  Red  Plume?  " 

"  No ;  but  there  were  Indians  all  around  in  the 
woods,  and  it  seems  a  miracle  that  we  have  escaped 
thus  far." 

The  hunter  then  explained  that  the  rest  of  the  party 
were  waiting  for  them  up  the  lake,  and  that  he  had 
promised  to  return  for  them. 

As  there  was  no  telling  whether  it  would  be  safe  to 
come  back  to  this  spot,  the  whole  party,  numbering 
four,  stepped  into  the  boat,  when  the  astounding  dis- 
covery was  made  that  it  would  not  hold  another  per- 
son! 

The  vessel  was  simply  an  ordinary  canoe,  intended 
to  carry  two  persons,  but  capable  of  supporting  double 


THE  RED  PLUME  161 

that  number.  The  large  boat,  in  which  the  younger 
members  of  the  party  had  crossed  the  lake,  had  prob- 
ably fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Sioux,  as  no  one  knew 
where  to  find  it. 

Here  was  a  dilemma,  which  brought  a  smile  to  the 
face  of  the  grizzled  old  hunter  as  he  reflected  what  the 
consequences  would  be  of  dropping  Dinah  in  among 
them. 

"  The  boat  would  go  down,  and,  like  enough,  she 
would  float,  and  the  rest  of  us  would  have  to  swim." 

"  What  are  we  to  do,  then  ?  "  inquired  the  Captain. 
"  I  can  see  but  one  remedy,  and  that  is  for  Prescott  and 
me  to  get  out  and  foot  it,  while  you  take  charge." 

As  this  was,  indeed,  the  only  escape  from  the  di- 
lemma, it  was  adopted,  and  Jud  Judkins,  with  no  one 
in  the  canoe  excepting  Mrs.  Prescott,  began  feel- 
ing his  way  cautiously  along  the  shore  of  the  lake  in 
search  of  Dinah  and  her  heir. 

As  both  Red  Plume  and  the  hunter  had  explained 
to  the  different  members  of  the  party  the  location  of 
Lillian  and  Edith,  there  were  now  quite  a  company 
threading  through  the  woods,  all  converging  toward 
the  supposed  camping  ground  of  Mr.  Pipkins  and  his 
charge. 

Fielding  had  an  anxiety  at  heart,  which  he  care- 
fully concealed  when  in  the  presence  of  others;  but 
now,  when  alone,  he  sped  through  the  woods  like  an 
Indian  upon  the  trail  of  an  enemy. 

He  knew,  indeed,  that  the  two  girls  needed  the 


162  THE  RED  PLUME 

presence  of  strong  arms,  and  one  of  them  especially 
had  scarcely  been  absent  from  his  thoughts  during  the 
most  fearful  moments  of  the  siege  and  attack  upon  the 
house.  It  was  Edith,  the  brave,  the  magnificent,  the 
reckless  haste  that  the  officer  found  necessary  to  check 
had  never  known  before. 

Behind  the  Friend  came  Captain  Swarthausen  and 
Prescott,  the  latter  burning  with  an  apprehension  that 
seemed  to  increase  each  moment,  and  urged  him  into  a 
reckless  haste  that  the  officer  found  necssary  to  check 
almost  constantly,  lest  both  should  be  precipitated  into 
some  grave  danger. 

And  ahead  of  them  all,  plodding  patiently  through 
the  woods,  and  almost  at  his  goal,  was  Muggins,  who, 
poor  man,  knew  and  suspected  nothing  of  the  tragic 
deed  that  the  forest  had  witnessed  in  the  darkness  of 
the  night,  but  he  counted  confidently  upon  meeting  his 
wife  in  the  course  of  an  hour  or  so  at  the  most,  when 
they  would  unitedly  continue  their  efforts  to  escape, 
and,  perhaps,  all  in  good  time  reach  Fort  Grandon, 
where  they  might  laugh  to  scorn  the  rage  of  the  Sioux. 

But  none  of  the  party  was  out  of  danger  as  yet,  for 
the  redskins  were  in  every  portion  of  the  wood,  more 
silent  than  before,  but  more  wary  and  none  the  less 
determined  in  tracing  out  the  fugitives  who  thus  far 
had  eluded  them  in  such  a  clever  manner. 

The  last  exploit  had  shown  the  Sioux  a  fact  which 
they  had  only  partly  believed  before.  General  occur- 
rences had  led  some  of  them  to  suspect  that  there  were 


THE  RED  PLUME  163 

some  outside  parties  assisting  those  within  the  build- 
ing, but  they  were  uncertain  until  the  stratagem,  which 
has  been  referred  to,  was  tried  upon  them  with  such 
success. 

If  there  had  been  any  doubt  remaining,  it  was  re- 
moved by  this,  as  well  as  by  the  testimony  of  their 
only  surviving  comrade,  who  had  been  left  in  charge  of 
the  prisoners. 

We  have  referred  to  the  wonderful  sagacity  of  Red 
Plume.  This  will  be  more  apparent  when  we  state 
that,  up  to  this  point,  his  scheme  of  rescue  had  scarcely 
varied  in  the  least  from  what  he  had  planned  at  the  be- 
ginning. 

The  gathering  of  the  redskins  around  the  fugitives 
after  they  had  issued  from  the  building — the  diversion 
by  means  of  his  own  false  signals — its  success — the  at- 
tack of  the  scout,  Old  Jud — the  flight  of  the  whites — 
their  separation  in  the  woods,  and  their  final  con- 
vergence toward  the  point  at  the  extreme  end ;  all  these 
were  what  he  had  counted  upon,  and  what  had  taken 
place  just  as  predicted. 

When  Dinah  was  deposited  in  the  hunter's  canoe, 
and  her  son  Cato  was  placed  near  her,  and  he  in  turn 
followed  by  Jud,  it  may  well  be  supposed  that  the  frail 
boat  was  well  loaded.  In  fact,  a  few  more  pounds 
would  have  sent  it  to  the  bottom  of  the  lake ;  and  when 
the  leader  took  the  paddle  in  hand  he  made  up  his  mind 
that  he  was  in  no  condition  to  run  a  race  with  any  hos- 
tile boat.  All  that  he  could  hope  to  do  was  gradually 


THE  RED  PLUME 

to  propel  the  boat  toward  the  river,  down  which  the  at- 
tempt would  doubtless  be  made  to  reach  Fort  Gr^ndon. 

At  first  he  was  undecided  whether  to  head  straight 
across  the  lake  for  the  mouth  of  the  river,  or  whether 
to  coast  the  shore.  Finally,  he  took  the  latter  course, 
advancing  with  his  usual  care,  and  keeping  in  the  dark 
bank  of  shadow  as  well  as  was  possible. 

A  common  fear  was  now  upon  all  the  fugitives — and 
that  was,  that  day  would  break  before  they  could  get 
well  out  of  the  way  of  the  Indians. 

As  soon  as  it  should  become  fairly  light  the  Sioux 
would  be  able  to  follow  their  trail,  if  found ;  and  what 
these  people  could  do  to  the  injury  of  the  fugitives,  it 
was  very  certain  they  would  do. 

So,  as  old  Jud  gently  propelled  the  canoe  along  the 
bank,  he  not  only  was  on  the  alert  against  running  into 
immediate  danger,  but  he  was  busily  speculating  upon 
the  future,  and  what  the  prospect  was  of  getting  the 
whole  party  safely  away,  when  they  should  all  unite 
and  start  upon  their  journey  southward. 

Dinah,  now  and  then,  gave  utterance  to  a  groan,  but 
she  had  gained  such  an  appreciating  sense  of  her  dan- 
ger from  the  scout  as  well  as  the  Indians,  that  she  was 
tolerably  quiet. 

Cato  dropped  asleep  almost  the  moment  he  seated 
himself,  and  his  mother  probably  would  have  done  the 
same  had  not  her  sprained  limb  forbidden. 

Slowly  the  canoe  coursed  along  the  coast  until  fully 
half  the  distance  was  passed,  when  the  faintest  and 


THE  RED  PLUME  165 

most  tremulous  of  whistles  reached  the  ears  of  Jud, 
and,  resting  on  his  paddle,  he  replied  in  the  same  man- 
ner. 

"  What  dat?  "  asked  the  alarmed  Dinah. 

"  Shet  up ! "  commanded  Jud,  raising  his  oar  in  a 
threatening  manner. 

Again  the  signal  was  repeated,  and  immediately 
after,  the  African  sister  discerned  the  outlines  of  a 
canoe  bearing  down  upon  them.  She  was  about  to 
utter  a  screech  of  alarm,  but  another  significant  gesture 
from  the  hunter  prevented,  and  she  cowered  in  silence, 
while  the  boat  came  up  like  a  shadow. 

One  single  occupant  in  it  only,  and  he  was  Red 
Plume.  Laying  himself  alongside,  the  two  exchanged 
a  few  words,  and  then  Cato  was  awakened,  and  com- 
pelled to  step  into  the  other  boat. 

This  partially  equalized  matters,  and  the  two  boats 
headed  across  the  lake  toward  the  mouth  of  the  Cres- 
cent River,  the  Indian  taking  the  lead,  and  old  Jud  fol- 
lowing close  in  the  rear. 

At  the  same  time,  the  growing  light  in  the  east 
showed  that  the  eventful  night  was  drawing  to  a  close, 
and  only  a  few  minutes  more  of  favoring  darkness  re- 
mained. 

Day  was  indeed  coming — a  day  not  less  fraught 
with  incident  and  peril  than  the  dozen  hours  that  had 
already  passed  away. 

The  two  men  who,  it  may  be  said,  were  the  direc- 
tors of  the  little  party,  were  veterans  enough  in  wilder- 


166  THE  RED  PLUME 

ness  and  frontier  life  to  dread  the  rising  of  the  sun 
which  was  to  guide  the  merciless  Sioux  in  their  relent- 
less tracking  of  the  fugitives  through  the  wood,  and 
they  now  drove  their  boats  with  astonishing  speed 
through  the  water  to  where  the  helpless  females  and 
their  equally  helpless  companion  were  awaiting  their 
coming,  hopefully,  and  yet  with  the  trembling  appre- 
hension of  those  who  had  learned,  in  some  degree,  the 
fearful  peril  that  impended  over  them. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  MEETING 

"  UGH,  now !  this  is  a  bore !  Here  I've  been  out  over 
night,  a  mark  for  the  dew  to  aim  at,  and  liable  to  catch 
cold,  and — atchew !  " 

Mr.  Pipkins  awoke  at  an  unusually  early  hour  for 
him  (that  is,  when  the  sun  was  but  a  few  degrees 
above  the  horizon),  and  throwing  off  his  blanket,  sat 
up  in  the  boat,  and  made  the  remark  above  given, 
rounding  off  his  period  with  a  terrific  sneeze,  which 
being  repeated  several  times,  excited  considerable  ap- 
prehension upon  his  part. 

"  Jingo !  a  few  more  explosions  like  that,  and  the 
end  of  my  nose  will  be  blowed  off!  Fact  is,  I  always 
considered  a  sneeze  as  a  human  earthquake,  from  the 
way  it  shakes  a  fellow  up.  Hello!  there's  Edith  and 
Lil  asleep  yet.  Wonder  if  they've  got  a  cold  ?  " 

The  young  man  stretched  his  limbs,  yawned,  and 
seemed  gradually  to  collect  his  bewildered  senses. 

"  No ;  it  isn't  a  dream !  "  he  suddenly  exclaimed,  as 
he  slapped  his  knee ;  "  there  was  a  young  fellow  here 
last  night — that  Colonel  Havens  from  Fort  Grampus, 
and  he  took  Lil  off  in  a  canoe  and  has  brought  her  back 

167 


168  THE  RED  PLUME 

again;  but  what's  become  of  him?  That's  the  ques- 
tion, as  the  immortal  William  observes." 

After  a  moment's  severe  cogitation  he  shook  his 
head. 

"  I  give  it  up ;  it's  a  conundrum  I  can't  answer.  The 
only  solution  I  can  give  is  that  he  was  so  smitten  with 
jealousy  when  he  saw  me  that  he  brought  Lil  back  and 
committed  suicide.  But,  by  jingo!  I  must  stretch  my 
legs." 

The  canoe  was  so  close  to  the  bank  that  he  had  only 
to  step  upon  the  land,  and  he  did  so  without  disturbing 
the  fair  sleepers  remaining  behind. 

The  latter  awoke  shortly  after  his  departure,  and, 
as  may  be  supposed,  were  both  thoughtful  and  sad. 
They  instinctively  turned  their  eyes  toward  the  lake,  as 
if  they  would  penetrate  to  the  other  shore  and  learn 
what  had  there  taken  place  during  the  hours  they  had 
slept. 

All  was  still,  but  what  did  it  signify  ? 

Were  father  and  mother  still  living?  Was  this  op- 
pressive silence  ominous  of  death?  Was  all  hope 
gone? 

Earnestly  and  fervently  the  sisters  prayed  to  Heaven 
in  their  dire  extremity — prayed  not  so  much  for  them- 
selves as  for  those  who  they  hoped,  but  hardly  dare 
believe,  were  still  living. 

Making  their  ablutions  in  the  clear  water  of  the 
stream  upon  which  they  were  floating,  they  stepped 


THE  RED  PLUME  169 

upon  the  bank  and  awaited  the  return  of  their  compan- 
ion. 

He  was  not  long  in  making  his  appearance,  and  he 
came  with  the  question,  while  he  smoked  his  meer- 
schaum : 

"  Lil,  where  is  that  Colonel  that  was  here  last 
night?" 

"  He  went  back  hours  ago." 

"Why  didn't  he  stay?" 

"  He  was  compelled  to  return." 

"  But  he  ought  not  to  have  been  compelled  when  his 
presence  was  needed  here." 

"  He  offered  to  remain  but  he  could  be  of  no  use," 
replied  Edith,  "  and  he  must  be  many  miles  away  by 
this  time." 

"  Oh !  it  doesn't  make  any  particular  difference,"  re- 
marked Pipkins,  in  his  lofty  way,  "  he  didn't  strike  me 
as  of  much  account,  anyhow." 

"  He  is  a  nephew  of  Captain  Swarthausen,  and  one 
of  the  bravest  young  men  in  the  country,"  Lillian 
hastened  to  say  with  considerable  warmth. 

"  Oh ! — ah ! — I  am  sure  I  have  no  objection ;  but  1 
have  just  become  aware  of  a  highly  important  fact." 

The  sisters  looked  inquiringly  toward  him. 

"  We  haven't  had  supper  or  breakfast,  and  what's 
more,  there  isn't  a  very  brilliant  prospect  of  getting 
one  at  present." 

All  were  ahungered  and  faint,  but  the  girls  had 
scarcely  thought  of  food.  Indeed,  there  was  nothing  to 


170  THE  RED  PLUME 

be  gained  by  thinking  of  it,  as  it  was  entirely  beyond 
their  means  to  procure  any. 

"  If  I  only  had  a  fishing-line,"  said  Pipkins,  looking 
wishfully  at  the  water,  "  I  might  persuade  some  of 
those  fish  to  come  out,  and  then  I  suppose  you  could 
clean  and  cook  them." 

"  You  have  matches,  else  how  came  your  pipe  lit  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  I  discovered  several  stowed  away  in  the  cor- 
ner of  the  side  pocket,  under  the  arm  of  my  duster. 
When  you  can't  eat  it's  a  very  good  thing  to  have  some 
of  the  weed  about  you ;  but  for  all  that,  I  would  very 
much  enjoy  throwing  myself  outside  of  a  porter-house 
steak  just  now." 

"  Oh !  if  father  and  mother  would  come,"  said 
Lillian,  gazing  with  a  longing  and  inexpressible  sad- 
ness toward  the  lake. 

"  By  cracky,  but  that  reminds  me  of  something  I 
had  forgotten  entirely,"  said  Pipkins  very  earnestly,  as 
he  removed  his  pipe  from  his  mouth.  "  I  took  a  little 
walk  up  the  river  bank,  and  if  I  ain't  very  greatly  mis- 
taken I  saw  signs  of  Indians  coming  down  the  shore  of 
the  lake." 

As  if  to  give  emphasis  to  his  words,  a  rustling  among 
the  undergrowth  was  heard  at  this  moment,  and  imme- 
diately after  Captain  Swarthausen  stepped  forth  to 
view.  Behind  him  came  Fielding  and  Muggins,  all  of 
their  countenances  lit  up  with  pleasure  as  they  greeted 
the  girls. 

But  the  faces  of  the  latter  blanched  with  a  terrible 


THE  RED  PLUME  171 

fear,  and  Edith  was  barely  able  to  gasp  out :  "  Father 
and  mother!  where  are  they?  " 

"  Not  far  off,"  replied  the  cheery  voice  of  the  Cap- 
tain. "  Red  Plume  and  Jud  are  coming  down  the  river 
in  a  canoe.  Your  father  came  most  of  the  way  through 
the  wood,  but  he  got  into  the  boat  again  with  your 
mother,  and  they  are  close  by." 

"And  the  rest?  "   asked  Lillian. 

"  Dinah  and  Cato  are  with  them,  but  the  darkeys 
'Lige  and  Pomp  are  in  the  hands  of  the  '  varmints,'  as 
old  Jud  calls  them." 

Immediately  after  the  large  sail  boat  which  had 
been  used  upon  the  lake  floated  in  sight,  and  in  it  were 
all  the  others  that  had  escaped  from  the  Sioux,  except- 
ing Jud,  who  was  immediately  behind  in  his  own  ca- 
noe. 

It  was  an  affecting  meeting,  and  many  and  devout 
were  the  thanks  that  were  sent  up  to  Him  who  had  so 
mercifully  brought  them  thus  far  through  the  dangers. 

For  some  moments  the  others  stood  in  respectful  si- 
lence, until  the  parents  and  children  had  recovered 
from  the  agitation  of  their  meeting,  and  then  the  start- 
ling question  came  from  Muggins, 

"  Where  is  my  wife?  " 

The  sad  truth  could  not  be  concealed  from  him,  and 
Edith  took  upon  herself  the  painful  duty  of  telling  him 
how  she  had  died.  The  poor  man  was  overcome  with 
terror  and  grief  for  a  time,  and  then  he  asked  to  be 
taken  to  her. 


X7*  THE  RED  PLUME 

Edith  led  the  way,  while  Captain  Swarthausen  and 
old  Jud  followed.  The  body  had  not  been  disturbed 
during  the  night,  and  was  found  precisely  as  it  had 
fallen. 

The  sharp  ashen  paddles  were  brought  from  the 
boats,  together  with  a  sort  of  anchor  from  the  larger 
one,  the  fluke  of  which  served  very  well  as  a  pick,  and 
with  these  rude  implements  a  grave  was  dug,  in  which 
all  that  was  mortal  of  the  woman  was  placed;  and 
when  the  imperative  voice  of  prudence  commanded,  the 
hunter  led  the  sorrowing  husband  away  from  the 
scene. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

A   KEG  OF   WHISKY 

IF  THERE  ever  was  need  for  hurry  upon  the  part  of 

any  poor  fugitives  escaping  from  vengeance,  there  was 
need  now  for  our  friends  to  hasten  on  their  way  down 
the  river  to  Fort  Grandon. 

It  had  been  broad  daylight  for  over  an  hour,  and 
the  opportunity  was  given  the  Sioux  to  take  their  trail, 
which,  if  followed  for  a  slight  distance,  could  not  fail 
to  give  the  savages  a  clue  to  the  general  direction,  and, 
in  all  probability,  to  their  destination. 

None  realized  the  true  condition  of  affairs  more  than 
Red  Plume  and  old  Jud,  who  showed  a  haste  in  their 
movements,  such  as  was  rarely  displayed  by  them. 

Much  as  the  entire  party  needed  food,  there  was  no 
time  to  wait  for  it  now.  All  of  them,  excepting  the  two 
scouts  mentioned,  were  placed  in  the  larger  boat,  of 
which  the  sail  was  hoisted,  and,  assisted  by  wind  and 
current,  it  sped  quite  rapidly  down  stream. 

Some  distance  ahead  of  it  went  old  Jud,  alone  in  his 
canoe.  He  was  the  "  feeler  "  thrown  out  in  front  to 
detect  the  danger  that  was  before,  and  to  warn  and  pre- 
vent the  larger  boat  from  running  inextricably  into  it 

Red  Plume,  in  his  feather-like  canoe,  went  up  stretm 


174 


THE  RED  PLUME 


and  into  the  lake,  his  aim  being  to  penetrate  the  in- 
tentions of  the  Sioux  there,  and  to  do  what  he  could 
to  divert  them  from  a  too  rapid  pursuit  of  the  fugi- 
tives— a  task  which,  it  will  be  seen,  was  the  most  deli- 
cate and  dangerous  of  all. 

He  was  pleased,  but  surprised,  that  none  of  the  red- 
skins had  as  yet  made  their  appearance  at  the  point  of 
embarkation ;  for,  as  several  had  walked  the  entire  dis- 
tance, they  could  easily  trace  them  to  the  place. 

As  he  emerged  into  the  lake,  he  kept  close  under  the 
undergrowth,  on  the  western  bank,  and,  with  his  keen, 
eager  eye,  scanned  everything  in  his  field  of  vision. 
The  morning  was  clear  and  sunshiny,  and  he  could  not 
have  been  given  a  better  opportunity  for  reconnoiter- 
ing. 

Near  the  centre  of  the  lake  rested  the  gem-like  is- 
land, as  quiet  as  at  "creation's  morn."  All  around  the 
surface  of  the  water  was  scarcely  rippled  by  a  breath  of 
air,  but  in  some  places  was  of  dazzling  brightness  from 
its  reflection  of  the  rays  of  the  morning  sun. 

On  his  right  were  the  charred  remains  of  Captain 
Swarthausen's  house,  and  beyond  the  island  could  be 
seen  the  black  and  smoking  ruins  of  Fielding's  and 
Prescott's  property ;  but  strain  his  vision  to  the  utmost, 
he  could  see  nothing  of  the  Sioux  themselves. 

Where  could  they  be? 

With  all  his  shrewdness,  Red  Plume  was  at  a  loss  to 
understand  this  silence  upon  the  part  of  his  race,  and 
he  sped  rapidly  along-  the  shore  of  the  lake  toward  the 


THE  RED  PLUME 


'75 


ruins  of  the  building,  with  the  resolve  to  find  out  what 
it  all  meant. 

It  is  a  characteristic  of  the  American  Indian,  that 
when  he  is  doing  nothing  he  is  the  most  certain  to  be 
doing  something;  and  the  friendly  redskin  was  certain 
that  the  curious  quiet  boded  no  good. 

With  lightning-like  suddenness  he  stopped  paddling, 
for  his  trained  ear  had  caught  a  suspicious  sound.  It 
was  very  faint,  and  so  distant,  that  he  was  certain  it 
came  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  ruins  of  the 
Prescott  house. 

Pulling  his  canoe  up  under  the  bushes,  he  carefully 
concealed  it,  and  passed  silently  through  the  wood  to- 
ward the  point  which  had  been  the  scene  of  such  stir- 
ring events  during  the  last  few  hours.  On  the  very 
edge  of  the  clearing  he  came  upon  the  entire  Sioux 
party,  and  one  glance  was  sufficient  to  explain  the  cause 
of  the  delay  in  the  pursuit  of  the  fugitives. 

In  the  centre  of  the  group  was  a  small  keg  of  whisky. 
or  rather  a  small  portion  of  a  keg,  for  the  greater  part 
of  its  contents  had  already  gone  down  the  throats  of 
the  red  men,  and  they  were  in  a  maudlin  state  of  drunk- 
enness, so  ludicrous  in  its  manifestations,  that  even  the 
iron  face  of  Red  Plume  relaxed  into  a  grim  smile  as  he 
gazed  upon  them. 

About  half  were  lolling  upon  the  ground ;  some  were 
asleep,  others  dubiously  dancing,  and  quite  a  number 
were  doing  their  best  to  give  a  war-song  or  speech,  the 
latter  of  which  was  intended  to  be  a  thrilling  recital  of 


176  THE  RED  PLUME 

the  exploits  of  each  particular  speaker  upon  the  war- 
path. 

These  men  had  need  of  the  strong  will  of  a  deter- 
mined chief  to  stop  this  maudlin  scene,  but  unfortu- 
nately, the  chief  was  the  drunkest  of  the  entire  party, 
and  had  his  arms  clasped  very  lovingly  about  the  neck 
of  Lige,  whom  he  evidently  looked  upon  as  a  long  lost 
brother. 

The  African  was  in  about  the  same  condition,  and 
two  more  precious  fools  it  would  be  difficult  to  imagine, 
as  they  executed  a  sort  of  bear  dance  around  each 
other.  Indeed,  the  "  best  man  "  in  the  company  was 
not  half  sober,  and  the  whole  thirty  could  have  been 
shot  and  scalped  by  a  half  dozen  of  their  own  race,  had 
they  come  upon  them  at  this  time.  They  were  not  cap- 
able either  of  acting  on  the  offensive  or  defensive. 

No  one  will  deny  that  whisky  is  a  curse  to  humanity, 
but,  in  this  case,  at  least,  it  had  served  a  good  purpose ; 
for  it  cannot  be  considered  possible  that  the  fugitives, 
after  congregating  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake, 
could  have  escaped  the  Sioux,  had  the  latter  been  in 
their  natural  condition  of  mind  and  body. 

It  is  certain  that  the  redskins  could  have  speedily 
overhauled  them  and  it  would  have  been  an  easy  matter 
then  to  have  picked  off  every  man  and  woman  from  the 
shore,  as  the  latter  had  no  means  of  protection  against 
the  bullets.  Crescent  River  was  a  very  small  stream  at 
its  beginning,  and  great  as  \vas  the  skill  and  courage 
of  Red  Plume  and  old  Ji'd,  it  could  have  availed 


THE  RED  PLUME  177 

nothing  at  such  fearful  disadvantages.  The  two  hun- 
ters were  stirred  by  a  deeper  anxiety  than  any  of  the 
party  ever  suspected  at  the  time  they  started  down  the 
river,  and  correspondingly  great  was  the  pleasure  of 
the  friendly  Indian  when  he  discovered  the  drunken- 
ness of  the  Sioux. 

As  he  crouched  in  the  woods,  narrowly  watching 
the  performances,  he  wondered  where  this  whisky  came 
from.  It  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  savages 
brought  it  with  them,  for  they  were  incapable  of  carry- 
ing "  fire-water  "  any  distance  at  all,  unless  it  was 
transported  inside  their  organizations,  nor  was  he 
aware  that  there  was  any  such  property  in  the  house. 
Had  he  known  that  there  was,  he  would  not  have  failed 
to  suggest  that  it  should  have  been  given  as  a  peace 
offering  to  the  screeching  demons  on  the  outside. 

Still  it  was  by  no  means  impossible  that  Mr.  Prescott 
owned  the  article,  and  that  the  Sioux  had  discovered  it 
somewhere  among  the  outbuildings,  just  at  the  mo- 
ment to  prevent  the  pursuit  which  was  so  much 
dreaded. 

All  this  time  Red  Plume  was  wondering  what  had 
become  of  Pomp,  the  negro,  who  worked  for  the  Qua- 
ker, Fielding.  Lige  was  as  muddled  as  any  of  them, 
and  was  among  the  first  that  he  saw  when  he  caught 
sight  of  the  group  as  he  came  up. 

It  was  hardly  to  be  supposed  that  Pomp  knew 
enough  to  escape,  even  when  his  captors  were  inca- 
pable of  taking  care  of  him.  When  last  seen  he  was  a 


178  THE  RED  PLUME 

secure  prisoner,  and  the  only  solution  that  Red  Plume 
could  give  was,  that  the  poor  fellow  had  been  put  to 
death. 

Quite  a  number  of  the  Sioux  had  been  slain,  but 
death  was  not  a  welcome  visitor  at  such  a  carnival, 
and  he  was  carefully  kept  out  of  sight. 

Confident  that  they  had  not  buried  their  dead,  the 
scout  withdrew  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
party,  and  began  a  search  for  them. 

He  was  not  long  in  finding  the  ghostly  collections, 
laid  side  by  side,  as  if  waiting  sepulture,  and  at  their 
feet  lay  the  form  of  poor  Pomp,  who  had  been  toma- 
hawked and  mangled  in  such  a  dreadful  manner,  that 
but  for  his  color  and  dress,  he  could  not  have  been 
identified  among  the  others. 

Quite  a  quantity  of  the  guns  and  weapons  belonging 
to  the  Sioux  were  arranged  upon  the  ground  near  this 
morgue.  Indeed,  the  appearance  of  everything  indi- 
cated that  the  redskins  had  gone  deliberately  upon  this 
spree,  and  had  made  their  preparations  for  having, 
what  is  vulgarly  termed,  a  "  high  old  time.  " 

Red  Plume  experienced  no  compunctions  of  con- 
science in  appropriating  a  number  of  the  choicest 
knives  and  rifles  that  he  found  upon  the  ground.  He 
could  have  carried  the  entire  stock  away,  but  that  he 
was  fearful  of  arousing  the  ire  of  the  owners,  and  pro- 
voking a  pursuit,  when  there  was  a  strong  probability 
of  none  at  all  being  attempted. 

So  he  took  only  a  half  dozen  or  so,  which  he  care- 


THE  RED  PLUME  179 

fully  bound  up,  and  then  started  on  his  return,  passing 
by  the  vicinity  of  the  revel,  so  as  to  assure  himself  how 
it  was  progressing.  He  had  been  in  such  performances 
himself,  and  he  knew  what  a  powerful  fascination  they 
possessed  for  his  race,  so  that  there  was  every  proba- 
bility of  the  present  one  continuing  through  the  en- 
tire day. 

If  it  was  certain  that  this  revelry  would  last  until 
nightfall,  these  redskins  were  to  be  "  counted  out "  in 
reckoning  up  the  danger  to  which  the  fugitives  were 
still  subject.  A  twelve  hours'  start  was  all-sufficient  to 
place  the  fugitives  entirely  beyond  their  reach. 

The  carnival  was  raging  high  and  higher.  Warriors 
were  crawling  on  their  hands  and  knees  to  the  keg,  and 
clawing  and  hugging  it  for  the  fiery  fluid  it  contained. 
Not  a  little  was  wasted  in  their  dubious  attempts  to 
catch  it  in  an  old  tin  cup  which  had  been  picked  up 
somewhere.  Men  rolled  and  tumbled  over  each  other, 
shouted  and  whooped,  and  sung,  struck  out  danger- 
ously with  their  knives,  loved  and  quarrelled,  and  did 
the  hundred  sup  -emely  foolish  things  which  an  intoxi- 
cated man  is  sure  to  do,  or  at  least  to  try  to  do,  when 
some  one  as  brutish  as  himself  is  joined  with  him. 

Nothing  could  be  more  satisfactory  to  Red  Plume 
and  he  made  haste  to  join  his  friends  down  the  river. 


CHAPTER  XX 

DOWN    THE   RIVER 

AND  all  this  time  the  fugitives  were  speeding  down 
Crescent  River  toward  Fort  Grandon,  helped  forward 
by  favoring  wind  and  current,  hopeful,  yet  trembling 
and  apprehensive,  glancing  furtively  backward  and 
forward,  and  on  either  hand — for  danger  was  all 
around  them,  and  there  was  no  telling  from  which 
quarter  it  would  first  come. 

Several  hundred  yards  ahead  the  canoe  of  old  Jud 
could  be  seen  now  and  then,  as  it  rounded  the  curves, 
while  he  sat  bolt  upright  in  it,  plying  his  paddle  with 
consummate  skill,  and  seeming  never  to  look  back  at 
those  who  were  so  implicitly  following  his  lead. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  for  the  first  mile  or  so  the 
only  thought  was  of  the  Sioux  in  their  rear,  and  not 
a  second  passed  that  there  were  not  some  of  the  party 
looking  fearfully  back  for  the  expected  and  yet  dreaded 
Red  Plume,  whose  coming,  for  once  at  least,  would 
be  anything  but  welcome. 

But  as  minute  after  minute  went  by,  and  nothing  oc- 
curred to  alarm  them,  hope  began  to  rise  in  the  breasts 
of  all,  and  the  few  questions  and  answers  exchanged 
gradually  took  upon  themselves  the  form  of  a  general 
conversation. 

180 


THE  RED  PLUME  X8s 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Captain  Swarthausen 
learned  that  his  nephew,  Colonel  Havens,  had  been 
over  this  same  ground,  or  rather  water,  the  night  pre- 
vious. 

"  Thunderation !  is  that  so?"  he  exclaimed,  when 
first  he  heard  the  astounding  intelligence ;  "  and  why 
didn't  he  come  to  see  me?  " 

But  the  Captain,  as  he  sat  controlling  the  rudder  of 
the  boat,  answered  his  own  question  before  any  one 
else  was  given  the  opportunity. 

"  Of  course  he  did  come  to  see  me,  but  he  hadn't  the 
chance ;  and  George  has  been  in  the  West  long  enough 
to  know  considerable  of  the  nature  of  the  'noble  red 
man  of  the  woods, '  as  some  of  the  novelists  delight  in 
calling  him.  But  he  inquired  about  me,  Lillian,  cer- 
tainly?" 

"  Oh,  yes ;  and  was  very  anxious  to  see  you.  He  was 
on  the  point  of  starting  several  times,  but  we  dissuaded 
him.  " 

"  Sensible  girl.  But  I  suspect  he  found  a  very  good 
substitute  for  me.  " 

And  the  old  officer  smiled  very  significantly,  others 
looked  knowingly,  and  Lillian  blushed  charmingly. 

"  Fact  of  it  is,  he  is  more  anxious  to  see  his  uncle 
than  I  ever  knew  him  to  be  before,  and  this  place  which 
he  professed  to  detest  at  first,  has  of  late  become  won- 
derfully attractive  to  him.  " 

"  So  it  has  to  all  of  us,  "  Edith  hastened  to  say,  for 
she  knew  her  sister  was  pained  by  the  pointed  meaning 


1 82  THE  RED  PLUME 

of  the  words  of  the  Captain,  who  was  all  unconscious 
of  the  wounds  he  was  inflicting.  "  Do  you  not  find 
the  place  more  pleasant  to  you  than  you  did  at  first  ?  " 

"  I  admit  that  I  do,  provided  you  except  the  last  day 
or  two  from  your  question.  Just  now,  I  think,  we  are 
all  pleased  with  every  mile  we  can  put  between  us  and 
it.  Isn't  that  equally  true?  " 

There  was  no  denying  te  truth  of  the  Captain's  re- 
mark. For  the  time,  Sleeping  Water  was  nothing  but 
a  terror  to  them. 

"  But  it  cannot  be  always  so, "  added  Edith. 
"  There  must  soon  come  a  time  when  we  shall  be  as 
safe  there  as  if  we  were  in  the  city  of  Chicago.  " 

"And  safer,  too,"  said  the  Captain,  who,  as  was 
well  known,  held  no  special  admiration  for  this  thriv- 
ing village  of  the  West.  "  Fact  of  it  is,  I  would  about 
as  lief  be  back  in  the  ruins  of  my  house  as  to  be  in  that 
infernal  city,  where  I  was  knocked  down  in  broad  day- 
light and  robbed.  If  I  had  the  power,  I  would  declare 
martial  law  there,  and  give  some  of  them  fellows  jus- 
tice— an  article  about  as  scarce  there  as  it  is  in  the  city 
of  New  York.  " 

"  You  mustn't  condemn  the  place  as  a  whole  for 
what  happened  in  some  portion  of  it,"  replied  Edith, 
who  was  glad  to  divert  the  officer  from  the  line  of  re- 
mark with  which  he  had  opened  the  conversation. 

"  I  was  there  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  ago,  "  h<S 
said,  "  and  came  still  nearer  to  losing  my  life.  " 

"  It  must  have  been  a  small  town  at  that  time.  " 


THE  RED  PLUME  183 

Captain  Swarthausen  laughed. 

"  Rather ;  it  was  in  the  dead  of  winter,  and  I  was  on 
a  hunt  with  Lieutenant  Duffield,  when  we  lost  our  way, 
and  were  chased  by  a  pack  of  wolves.  We  crossed  the 
river  on  the  ice,  and  right  where  the  centre  of  Chicago 
now  is  we  had  to  climb  a  tree  to  get  out  of  their  way.  " 

"  Did  both  of  you  succeed  in  escaping?  " 

"  We  escaped  from  the  wolves,  it  is  true.  There 
were  over  a  hundred  of  them  under  the  tree  all  night, 
yelping,  and  howling,  and  leaping  up,  till  more  than 
once  I  thought  they  would  get  up  among  the  limbs  and 
tear  us  all  to  pieces.  For  a  while  it  was  fun  for  us,  and 
death  to  some  of  them  at  least.  As  fast  as  we  could 
load,  we  fired  down  among  them  and  every  time  we  did 
so  we  killed  one,  and  he  was  snapped  up  and  devoured 
by  the  others  in  a  twinkling.  " 

"  You  might  have  continued  that  until  you  had  slain 
them  all,  "  remarked  Prescott,  quite  interested  in  the 
conversation. 

"  That's  what  we  thought  at  first,  and  we  kept  up  the 
firing  until  we  hadn't  a  charge  left  between  us;  and 
then,  I  believe,  there  were  more  wolves  under  the  tree 
than  there  were  when  we  first  scrambled  up  it,  and  the 
taste  they  had  had  of  blood  made  them  ten  times  more 
crazy  for  ours  than  they  were  at  first.  " 

"  Where  did  they  all  come  from  ?  " 

"  From  everywhere.  It  was  a  bright  moonlight 
night,  and  the  snow  made  it  lighter  yet,  so  that  we 
could  see  for  a  long  distance ;  and,  whatever  direction 


1 84  THE  RED  PLUME 

we  looked,  we  could  discern  the  lank,  gray  imps  skit- 
tering over  the  snow-crust  like  mad,  and  all  coming  to- 
ward the  tree,  in  which  we  were  shivering  to  death." 

"How  did  it  end?" 

"  Oogh !  but  it  was  cold,"  replied  the  Captain,  shud- 
dering at  the  remembrance  of  his  fearful  adventure. 
"  I  never  suffered  so  in  my  life.  When  we  found  we 
couldn't  shoot  any  more,  we  tried  to  keep  our  spirits  up 
by  jesting,  laughter,  and  story-telling;  but  I  tell  you  it 
was  up-hill  work !  " 

"  Were  you  there  all  night  ?  " 

"  Every  minute  of  it,  and  you  can  be  sure  it  was  the 
longest  night  I  ever  spent.  I  sang  all  the  songs  I 
knew,  and  so  did  DufReld;  but  we  could  hardly  hear 
each  other  for  the  din  the  wolves  made ;  and  finally  we 
gave  that  up.  By-and-by  the  lieutenant  told  me  he  was 
freezing  to  death,  but  I  laughed  at  him,  although  I  had 
about  made  up  my  mind  that  that  was  the  fate  await- 
ing both  of  us. ' 

"  But  you  were  mistaken.  " 

"  Partly  so.  The  lieutenant  was  as  brave  a  fellow  as 
ever  lived,  and  when  he  told  me  he  was  freezing,  for 
all  I  ridiculed  the  idea,  yet  I  knew  he  spoke  the  truth. 
He  sat  close  to  me,  and  I  pinched  him  and  struck  him, 
and  he  did  the  same  for  me ;  and  we  kept  climbing  up 
and  down  among  the  limbs,  until  our  hands  became  so 
numb  that  we  couldn't  do  it  any  longer,  when  we  got 
astride  the  same  limb  and  braced  ourselves  as  best  we 
could.  It  wasn't  a  half  hour  before  I  saw  Duffield  nod- 


THE  RED  PLUME  X8s 

iling,  and  by-and-by  his  head  drooped  against  me,  and 
he  would  have  fallen  if  I  hadn't  caught  him.  " 

"  Was  it  the  cold  that  affected  him?  "  asked  Pres- 
cott,  while  all  the  rest  listened  to  the  reply. 

"  It  was  that,  and  nothing  else.  The  poor  fellow 
was  freezing,  and  no  mistake.  I  cuffed  his  ears,  pulled 
his  hair,  rubbed  his  arms  and  legs,  shook  him,  and 
shouted  in  his  ears,  but  it  did  no  good.  He  roused  up 
once  or  twice,  and  mumbled  something  about  feeling 
sleepy,  but  I  couldn't  make  him  realize  his  condition. 
It  is  a  curious  thing  about  the  effects  of  cold  that  the 
strongest  and  bravest  men  are  often  the  first  to  suc- 
cumb. Duffield  and  I  were  stationed  at  one  of  the  fron- 
tier posts,  about  twenty  miles  away,  and  we  had  been 
there  something  over  a  year  when  this  happened  to  us ; 
and,  during  all  that  time,  he  had  never  met  a  superior 
in  running,  leaping  or  wrestling,  or  in  what  we  called 
vim.  It  was  believed  that  he  could  stand  more  expo- 
sure and  fatigue  than  any  man  in  the  garrison,  and  yet 
here  he  was  going  into  that  coma  which  means  death 
and  nothing  else,  while  I,  although  suffering  intensely, 
was  never  more  wide-awake  in  my  life.  But  it  has  al- 
ways been  the  same.  You  know  when  Fremont  got 
lost  in  the  RockyMountains — that  is,  when  his  guide 
lost  him — the  hardiest  men  of  his  party  died  from  their 
exposure,  while  Fremont  himself  came  out  of  it  with 
scarcely  any  suffering  at  all.  I  didn't  know  what  to 
make  of  it,  and  was  expecting  every  minute  to  follow 
him ;  but  I  did  not.  My  hands  and  feet  ached  with  the 


1 86  THE  RED  PLUME 

cold  but  no  part  of  mybody  became  benumbed.  I  knew, 
as  long  as  they  hurt  me,  that  I  was  all  right.  By-and- 
by  I  found  that  Duffield  was  a  dead  weight  against  me, 
and  then  it  was  all  up.  He  was  frozen  stark  and  stiff, 
and  I  had  to  sit  there  and  hold  him  on  the  limb  to  keep 
him  from  falling  down  into  the  jaws  of  the  wolves  that 
howled  and  yelped  harder  than  ever,  as  if  they  knew  I 
was  cheating  them  of  their  prey.  But  I  hung  on,  and 
sat  there,  till  broad  daylight,  with  one  arm  around  the 
neck  of  the  lieutenant,  and  with  the  other  hand  clasped 
around  a  limb  to  help  steady  my  own  body ;  and,  if  ever 
a  poor  fellow  had  the  horrors,  you  may  be  certain  that 
I  did.  " 

"And  when  morning  came,  what  then  ?  " 
"  Some  of  the  wolves  went  away,  and  some  stayed 
behind.  By  this  time  it  was  very  evident  that,  unless 
I  got  help  pretty  soon,  it  would  be  all  up  with  me.  I 
had  no  ammunition  left,  and  even  if  I  had,  both  of  our 
guns  had  fallen  to  the  ground,  and  were  being  clawed 
to  pieces  by  the  ravenous  devils  below.  They  had 
ceased  their  yelping,  but  they  kept  moving  around  the 
tree  and  looking  up,  and  licking  their  jaws,  as  if  they 
knew  they  had  but  to  wait  a  little  while  longer  for  a 
dainty  breakfast. 

"  Just  as  the  sun  came  above  the  horizon  I  heard  a 
gun  go  off,  and  then  there  was  a  halloo.  A  few  min- 
utes later  I  saw  a  half  dozen  Indians  and  white  men 
coming  toward  me  on  snow  shoes,  and  I  knew  that  I 
was  saved. " 


THE  RED  PLUME  187 

'"Who  were  tVey?" 

"  They  had  been  sent  out  from  the  fort,  and  had 
been  hallooing  and  hunting  for  us  all  night.  When 
they  came  in  sight  the  wolves  scattered  as  if  a  grizzly 
bear  had  dropped  down  among  them.  A  couple  of  the 
Indians  had  to  climb  the  tree  and  help  me  down,  and  if 
I  hadn't  been  rolled  and  rubbed  in  the  snow  until  I 
screeched  with  pain,  that  would  have  wound  up  my 
earthly  career.  We  carried  Duffield  back  to  camp, 
where  he  was  buried  with  the  honors  of  war  and  a 
better  soldier  was  never  put  beneath  the  soil.  " 

"  That  was  your  first  visit  to  Chicago  ?  Were  there 
no  cabins  anywhere  in  the  neighborhood  ? ' 

"  Yes ;  plenty  of  them,  scattered  here  and  there — 
but  those  that  lived  in  them  were  too  mean  to  come  to 
our  assistance,  or  it  may  be  that  they  were  so  used  to 
hearing  the  howling  of  wolves  that  they  didn't  think 
it  worth  while  to  pay  attention  to  it.  " 

"  But  the  noise  of  your  guns  ought  to  have  reached 
them.  " 

"  That's  what  I  think,  and  that's  what  makes  me 
mad  when  I  think  about  it.  That,  as  I  just  said,  was 
my  first  visit  to  Chicago,  and  I  have  told  you  what  hap- 
pened to  me  the  last  time  I  went  there;  so  you  see  I 
have  no  particular  reason  to  like  it,  and  every  reason  to 
hate  it.  " 

"  It  isn't  likely  that  a  third  mishap  would  befall 
you,  "  laughed  Mr.  Prescott, "  if  you  should  venture 
Acre  again.  " 


1 88  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  It  would  be  just  my  luck  to  step  upon  some  stray 
bombshell,  and  set  it  off  by  the  friction  of  my  foot,  or 
else  have  some  scallawag  put  an  infernal  machine  in  my 
pocket  to  blow  me  sky-high." 

The  story  of  the  Captain,  and  his  comments,  were 
thoroughly  enjoyed  by  the  listening  fugitives.  It  is 
not  to  be  supposed  that  Augustus  Adolphur  Pipkins 
would  have  permitted  this  attack  upon  the  city  of  his 
adoption  to  have  passed  without  a  characteristic  de- 
fence, had  it  not  been  that  he  was  sound  asleep — his 
head  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  while  his  feet  were 
resting  upon  the  gunwale,  and  his  fireless  meerschaum, 
with  its  stem  in  his  mouth,  was  resting  upon  his 
shirt  front,  upon  which  it  had  spilled  the  most  of  its 
contents  of  tobacco  and  ashes. 

The  great  forte  of  the  young  man  seemed  to  consist 
in  dress,  smoking,  and  sleep.  To  keep  the  flies  from  an- 
noying him,  he  had  tipped  his  hat  down  over  his  eyes 
and  nose,  and  in  this  picturesque  situation  he  was  al- 
lowed to  sleep  in  peace,  while  the  conversation  went  on 
around  him. 

"  Get  off  my  feet ! "  called  out  Dinah,  giving  her 
hopeful  a  thwack  on  the  side  of  the  head  that  sent  him 
backward  on  the  stomach  of  Pipkins,  awaking  the  lat- 
ter gentleman  rather  more  suddenly  than  was  pleasant. 

"  What  the  blazes  is  the  matter  ?  "  he  demanded, 
shoving  the  negro  from  it.  "  What  the  deuce  you  sit- 
ting down  on  me  for?  " 

"She  done  it, "  Cato  hastened  to  reply,  pointing  to 


THE  RED  PLUME  189 

the  indignant  cook,  who  looked  as  if  she  would  very 
much  like  to  do  it  again. 

"  Is  she  your  parent  ?  "  asked  Pipkins,  as  he  righted 
himself,  and  took  the  sitting  position,  "  Your  honored 
parent  ?  " 

"  No — she's  my  mommy.  " 

"  Please  present  my  compliments  to  your  distin- 
guished mommy,  and  request  her  hereafter  not  to  drop 
you  upon  my  stomach.  It  wouldn't  be  so  bad  if  there 
was  anything  in  it ;  but  not  having  tasted  any  food  for 
something  less  than  a  week,  you  will  see  there  is  danger 
of  collapsing  my  internal  machinery.  " 

The  negro  stared  at  the  speaker  in  a  way  which 
showed  he  had  not  the  remotest  idea  of  what  was 
meant.  Dinah  had  been  shifting  her  position  further 
to  one  side,  at  the  imminent  risk  of  upsetting  the  boat. 

"  Hold  on !  "  called  out  Pipkins,  as  he  found  his  side 
gradually  rising  out  of  the  water ;  "  this  boat  doesn't 
seem  built  to  travel  on  one  side." 

"  Who  you  talkin'  'bout?  "  demanded  Dinah,  indig- 
nantly. 

"  If  you'd  only  be  kind  enough  to  anchor  in  the 
centre  of  the  vessel,  we  would  have  but  the  single 
danger  of  the  bottom  going  through.  As  it  is,  we  have 
the  additional  danger  of  capsizing.  " 

"  Ef  you'd  only  talk  'Merican,  folks  might  'stand 
wat  yer's  drivin'  at,  "  and  the  irate  cook  shrugged  her 
shoulders,  and  turned,  as  far  as  she  could,  her  broad 
back  toward  the  exquisite,  and  all  the  party  smiled. 


190  THE  RED  PLUME 

Pipkins  looked  about  him — first  at  the  inmates  of  the 
boat,  and  then  at  the  surroundings.  In  the  forward 
part  sat  Mrs.  Prescott,  with  Edith's  head  resting  upon 
her  shoulder,  and  near  her  was  Lillian,  with  her  head 
upon  the  breast  of  her  father.  The  family  were  re- 
united again! 

A  fearful  peril  had  impended,  and  was  still  impend- 
ing, over  their  heads ;  but  the  great  danger  had  passed, 
and  all  were  more  thankful  than  words  could  express 
to  the  kind  Providence  that  had  indeed  brought  them 
through  all  in  such  a  wonderful  manner. 

Near  the  centre  of  the  boat  sat  Dinah,  she  having 
hitched  along  until  the  vessel  had  righted,  while  her 
baby  was  sitting  at  her  feet,  within  "  striking  "  dis- 
tance. 

Between  the  parties  mentioned  Pipkins  had  stationed 
himself,  in  the  genuine  American  attitude,  with  his  feet 
higher  than  his  head,  when  he  was  roused  in  the  man- 
ner mentioned. 

In  the  rear  were  Captain  Swarthausen,  Fielding  and 
Muggins,  the  first  skillfully  guiding  the  boat,  while 
the  latter  sat  sad  and  silent,  no  doubt  reflecting  upon 
her  who  was  sleeping  her  last  sleep  in  the  quiet  and 
solemnity  of  the  summer  woods.  Such  meditations  we 
have  not  the  right  to  intrude  upon,  and  with  a  sigh  of 
sympathy  we  leave  him  to  his  reveries. 

The  boat  was  large,  and  there  was  ample  room  for 
all.  A  fine  cool  breeze  was  blowing,  and  were  it  not  fof 


THE  RED  PLUME  191 

the  horrible  fear  that  threatened  them,  and  for 
the  physical  discomfort  of  hunger  which  each  felt,  the 
ride  could  not  have  been  more  pleasant. 

Looking  beyond  the  confines  of  the  boat,  Pipkins 
saw  that  as  they  descended  the  stream  it  rapidly  wid- 
ened. Brooks  and  creeks  were  continually  pouring 
into  it,  until  its  volume  must  have  more  than  doubled 
in  the  space  of  half  a  dozen  miles. 

The  shores  continued  deeply  wooded,  and  at  this 
time  of  the  year  no  scene  could  have  been  more  en- 
chanting. There  were  occasional  open  places,  covered 
with  rank  green  grass,  which  seemed  to  be  the  doors  to 
the  vast  prairies  beyond.  Here  and  there,  faintly  out- 
lined against  the  hazy  sky,  could  be  seen  the  blue  moun- 
tain peaks,  some  of  them  in  the  far  distance,  looking 
like  conical  clouds  resting  stationary  in  the  suntmer  at- 
mosphere. 

It  was  hard  to  realize  that  this  was  a  "  land  of 
death  " — that  the  green  woods  and  the  plains  beyond 
contained  human  beings  fiercer  than  the  panther,  and 
more  merciless  than  the  tiger  as  it  laps  the  blood  of  its 
victim — that  the  fields,  white  with  harvest,  were  tram- 
pled by  the  infuriated  Sioux  as  they  shot  and  murdered 
the  inoffensive  settlers,  and  that  at  that  very  moment 
there  was  wailing  and  mourning  through  the  land,  and 
cries  were  uttered  for  mercy,  when  there  was  no  mercy 
to  give. 

But  so  it  was ;  for  the  ten  thousandth  time  since  the 
colonization  of  this  country  the  wild  Indian,  with  toma- 


19*  THE  RED  PLUME 

hawk  and  torch  in  hand,  was  raging  through  the  settle- 
ment, visiting  upon  the  innocent  a  terrible  retribution 
for  the  sins  of  the  guilty. 

Fully  two  hours  had  now  passed  without  a  sign  of 
danger. 

Most  of  this  time  old  Jud  and  his  canoe  were  in- 
visible. Now  and  then  he  would  be  detected  stealing 
along  under  the  shore  like  some  strange  inhabitant  of 
the  deep  that  was  feeling  his  way  back  to  the  sea,  and 
then  he  sped  directly  down  the  centre  of  the  channel, 
as  if  courting  observation  from  any  who  might  be 
along  the  shore;  but  all  the  time  he  maintained  the 
same  distance  in  advance — the  meaning  of  which  was 
that  the  river  ahead  gave  no  sign  of  danger. 

But  where  was  Red  Plume  ? 

This  was  the  question  which  had  been  asked  re- 
peatedly, and  which  no  one  in  the  party  dare  undertake 
to  answer  with  any  degree  of  certainty.  The  contin- 
ued absence  of  the  Sioux  gave  them  all  the  liberty  to 
draw  the  breath  of  relief ;  but,  as  yet,  no  one  thought  of 
absolute  safety. 

"  Suppose  that  aboriginal  American  has  had  his 
skull  perforated  with  a  bullet  by  some  of  his  own  race," 
remarked  Pipkins,  as  the  sail-boat  skimmed  swiftly 
down  the  river ;  "  under  such  circumstances  it  is  hardly 
to  be  expected  that  he  will  be  able  to  '  paddle  his  own 
canoe.' ' 

The  great  fear  that  was  upon  all  had  been  hit  by  the 


THE  RED  PLUME  193 

exquisite  in  his  own  peculiar  style,  but  it  touched  every 
one. 

"  Just  what  I  was  thinking  about,"  called  out  Pres- 
cott  from  the  front  of  the  boat.  "  It  would  be  terrible 
if  such  were  the  case." 

"  It  would  be  the  phenomenon  of  the  age  if  such 
were  the  case,"  replied  Captain  Swarthausen,  speaking 
with  more  confidence  than  he  really  felt,  but  still  with  a 
sort  of  general  belief  of  what  he  said.  "  He  is  too  great 
a  veteran  in  the  business  to  be  caught  in  such  a  mishap 
as  that" 

"  But  accidents  will  happen,"  was  the  erudite  obser- 
vation of  Pipkins.  "  I  can  recall  one  or  two  occasions 
where  there  is  some  reason  to  fear  I  committed  a  blun- 
der. Red  Plume,  I  believe,  is  the  name  he  plumes  him- 
self upon,"  he  added  with  a  triumphant  smile,  as  he 
looked  about  to  see  that  his  diluted  pun  was  appreci- 
ated. "  Red  Plume  no  doubt  is  as  skillful  and  as  wide- 
awake as — myself ;  but  who  will  pretend  that  he  is  ex- 
empt from  accident  ?  If  he  is,  I  will  try  to  insure  him 
in  our  General  Accident  Company,  for  it  will  be  a  good 
thing  for  Blifkins  and  the  rest  of  'em,  and  perhaps  for 
me  also." 

"  I  don't  believe  it,"  stoutly  asserted  Captain  Swart- 
hausen, as  he  shied  the  boat  toward  the  centre  of  the 
stream.  "  We  are  all  liable  to  mishaps,  but  I  do  not 
consider  it  possible  that  any  such  thing  should  happen 
to  him." 

Pipkins  became  quite  earnest  and  rose  to  the  stand- 
ing position.  He  then  braced  himself  and  spread  out 


594  THE  RED  PLUME 

his  arms  like  an  orator,  and  might  have  looked  like  one 
had  he  not  persisted  in  keeping  his  pipe  between  his 
teeth. 

"  You  understand,  in  a  matter  like  this,  you  must 
look  at  both  sides  of  the  question,  and  looking  at  it 
thus—" 

At  this  juncture  Augustus  Pipkins  suddenly  turned 
a  summerset,  fetching  up  among  the  Prescott  family 
in  the  bow,  but  for  whom  he  would  have  gone  over- 
board. At  the  same  instant  Captain  Swarthausen 
sprang  up  and  lowered  the  sail.  The  truth  was  that  the 
boat  had  run  upon  a  bar  in  the  river,  checking  it  so  sud- 
denly that  a  man  standing  up  could  scarcely  have 
avoided  what  really  happened  to  the  speaker. 

The  latter,  however,  was  of  such  a  slight  build  that 
he  was  scarcely  injured  in  the  least,  but  hastily  scram- 
bled to  his  feet. 

"  Thunderation !  I'll  bet  five  to  one  my  pipe  is  burst. 
No  it  isn't,  either,"  he  added,  the  next  instant,  as  he 
turned  it  over  in  his  hand.  "  But  I  say,  Captain 
Swarthausen,  didn't  the  anchor  catch  rather  sudden 
like?" 

"  Sh'd  think  it  did !  "  groaned  Dinah,  who  had  tipped 
over  upon  Cato,  and  had  to  be  assisted  back  again  on 
her  seat.  "  Never  got  so  shuck  up  in  my  life.  A  little 
more  and  it  would've  been  the  last  of  poor  Dinah." 

"  A  little  more  and  it  would  have  been  the  last  of  us 
all,"  observed  Pipkins,  as  he  carefully  brushed  the  dust 
from  his  hat.  "  If  you  had  gone  rolling  through  the 


THE  RED  PLUME  195 

boat  it  would  have  been  like  an  elephant  turning  sum- 
mersets." 

"  You'd  better  shet  up,"  retorted  the  cook;  if  you 
don't  I'll  fetch  you  a  whack  dat'll  send  dem  ar'  pipe- 
stem  legs  of  yourn  higher  in  de  air  dan  dey  went 
afore." 

"  I  apologize  for  my  rudeness,"  said  Pipkins,  raising 
his  hat  over  his  head  with  an  exceedingly  polite  bow. 

But  the  boat  was  fast;  and  while  this  nonsensical 
badinage  was  going  on,  Captain  Swarthausen  and 
Prescott  were  seeking  what  was  necessary  to  get  it  off 
again.  It  was  running  so  fast  at  the  time  of  the  occur- 
rence that  it  was  stuck  immovably,  so  long  as  its  freight 
remained  the  same. 

However,  in  so  small  a  structure,  it  was  evident  that 
there  was  no  great  difficulty  to  be  overcome.  A  shifting 
of  the  passengers  from  the  bow  to  the  stern,  or  perhaps 
the  disembarking  of  one  or  two,  for  a  few  moments, 
was  all  that  could  be  required. 

Old  Jud  was  out  of  sight  at  the  time  of  the  accident, 
so  that  they  were  without  his  advice  or  assistance. 

The  first  effort  was  made  by  shifting  all  to  the  rear 
of  the  boat,  and  then  pushing  with  might  and  main 
with  the  paddle.  But  this  failed. 

"  We  men  will  have  to  get  out  and  put  our  shoulders 
against  it,"  said  Prescott. 

"  I  can  suggest  a  far  better  plan — an  admirable  one, 
in  fact " — said  Pipkins,  as  the  others  made  ready  to  act 
upon  this  suggestion. 


196  THE  RED  PLUMB 

All  listened. 

"  Our  joint  weight  is  about  equal  to  that  of  this  sablei 
angel  in  the  centre;  so,  instead  of  a  half  dozen  or  so 
getting  out,  why  not  let  one  do  it,  and  answer  for  all  ?  " 

"  How  are  we  going  to  get  her  back  again  ?  "  asked 
Prescott. 

"  A  sensible  question,  and  one  that  is  unanswerable. 
I  give  it  up.  But  Cato  here  is  barefooted  (and  I  think 
it  would  ruin  any  man  to  furnish  the  leather  for  those 
gunboats,  unless  he  did  it  by  contract).  Let  him  make 
a  beginning." 

"  My  baby  shan't  do  no  such  thing — " 

But  a  word  from  Prescott  was  sufficient;  and  Cato, 
being  nothing  loth  to  display  his  agility,  rolled  up  his 
trousers  and  leaped  lightly  over  the  gunwale  into  the 
hard  earth  upon  which  they  were  fast. 

Then  our  friends  again  took  their  places  in  the  stern, 
the  African  applied  his  shoulder,  and  the  bow  was 
fairly  lifted  clear.  Springing  back  into  the  boat,  the  sail 
was  hoisted  and  they  proceeded  hopefully  upon  their 
journey. 

Pipkins  looked  longingly  down  stream. 

"  I  wonder  whether  that  pilot  of  ours  ever  becomes 
sensible  to  such  a  thing  as  hunger.  I've  heard  of  people 
who  would  as  lief  go  a  week  without  eating  as  not,  but 
I  suppose  it  depends  a  good  deal  how  a  man  is  brought 
up.  I  haven't  trained  for  that  kind  of  business,  and  it 
goes  rather  tough  with  me." 


THE  RED  PLUME  197 

"  I  think  he  will  make  a  halt  at  noon,"  remarked 
Captain  Swarthausen. 

"  Why  do  you  think  so?  " 

"  If  I  ain't  mistaken,  he  made  some  such  intimation 
just  before  we  started  this  morning. 

Prescott  inclined  to  think  he  had  heard  something 
like  it  from  the  scout,  and  so  they  took  comfort  in  the 
thought. 

The  hopes  and  fears  of  all  were  awakened  by  the 
sight  of  the  scout  rowing  cautiously  back  toward  them. 
Fearful  that  something  was  wrong,  Captain  Swart- 
hausen lowered  the  sail,  and  slackened  the  speed  as 
much  as  was  possible,  without  coming  to  a  dead  stand- 
still. 

In  a  moment  Jud  was  alongside.    > 

"Do  any  of  you  feel  hungry?"  he  asked,  with  a 
manner  of  perfect  simplicity. 

There  was  no  ambiguity  in  the  reply,  and  he  has- 
tened to  say : 

"  A  half  mile  down  the  river  is  an  island ;  we'll  stop 
there  and  have  dinner." 

And  without  another  word  he  shot  ahead  again. 

"  Wonder  how  he's  gwine  to  gib  us  dinner,"  grunted 
Dinah,  "  when  he  haint  got  nuffin  to  gib  us  dinner 
wid." 

"  There  is  probably  a  hotel  down  on  the  island,  kept 
on  the  European  plan,"  replied  Pipkins ;  "  or  I  should 
think  the  native  American  plan  would  be  the  thing  in 
these  parts.'1' 


THE  RED  PLUME 

"  He  must  be  intending  to  take  a  little  hunt  for 
game." 

"  Or  for  fish,"  suggested  Prescott.  "  At  any  rate,  we 
can  make  up  our  minds  that  he  wouldn't  invite  us  to 
dinner  unless  he  had  some  means  of  providing  it." 

Shortly  after,  as  they  rounded  another  bend  in  the 
river,  they  caught  sight  of  the  island — an  oval  in  shape, 
a  few  hundred  yards  in  length,  and  a  rod  or  two  in 
width.  The  stream  sensibly  widened  at  this  point,  so 
that  there  was  a  goodly  breadth  of  water  upon  both 
sides. 

The  island  was  sparsely  covered  with  trees  and  vegx#- 
tation,  and  would  have  been  the  objective  point  of  any 
excursion  party  of  the  neighborhood,  so  that  the  most 
pleasant  prospect  was  before  the  party,  whose  eyes 
were  strained  toward  the  little  gem  upon  the  river. 

The  cravings  of  nature  will  tempt  a  man  to  brave 
any  danger,  and  so  intent  were  the  fugitives  upon  satis- 
fying the  demands  of  hunger  that  not  a  look  was  cast 
behind  to  see  whether  they  were  free  from  danger. 

However,  in  this  instance  it  made  no  difference,  for 
had  they  looked  with  all  their  eyes  they  would  have 
seen  nothing  to  justify  the  slightest  alarm. 

They  were  yet  some  distance  from  the  upper  end, 
r/hen  Pipkins  began  to  snuff  the  air,  turning  his  head 
from  side  to  side,  with  a  very  knowing  look. 

"  I  tell  you  what,  I  smell  something  cooking,"  he 
said,  while  his  eyes  sparkled.  "  There's  mischief  or 
fish  brewing." 


THE  RED  PLUME  199 

Several  smiled,  believing  the  speaker  was  only  jest- 
ing fish  was  wafted  to  them,  and  not  all  the  odors  from 
ing ;  but  a  moment  later  the  unmistakable  odor  of  cook- 
"Araby  the  blest "  could  have  imparted  the  pleasure 
that  this  gave. 

There  is  something  peculiarly  appetizing  in  the  odor 
of  fish,  as  distinguished  from  other  food,  and  it  al- 
most maddened  the  half-famished  fugitives  as  it  be- 
came more  decided,  with  every  fot  they  advanced 
nearer  the  island. 

"  If  you  have  any  bowels  of  compassion,"  said  Pip- 
kins, turning  toward  Captain  Swarthausen,  "  you  will 
not  slacken  up  gradually,  but  go  ahead  as  fast  as  you 
can,  until  you  can't  go  any  further,  and  then  stop  right 
short." 

But  the  old  veteran  had  learned  prudence,  and  prob- 
ably believing  Pipkins  had  received  enough  of  "  stop- 
ping short,"  he  rounded-to  with  the  cleverness  of  an  ex- 
perienced navigator,  with  the  boat  just  resting  upon 
the  hard  yellow  sand  of  the  island,  and  the  party 
stepped  upon  terra  firnia,  dry  shod. 

As  yet,  they  had  seen  nothing  of  old  Jud ;  but  never 
once  did  they  lose  the  insidious,  delicious  odor  that 
filled  the  air. 

"  If  that  is  carried  off  over  the  land  for  any  distance, 
it  will  wake  up  every  man  in  the  woods,  and  fetch  him 
this  way,  bareheaded,  on  a  full  run,  with  his  plate  be- 
fore him,  yelling  for  something  to  eat." 


200  THE  RED  PLUME 

As  may  be  supposed,  Pipkins  was  at  the  head,  plung- 
ing forward  like  mad,  and  calling  upon  the  others  to 
follow  him. 

They  were  not  slow  in  doing  so,  for  as  the  magnet 
draws  steel,  so  did  the  odor  draw  them  irresistibly 
toward  it. 

A  few  rods  through  the  wood  and  undergrowth  and 
they  came  upon  a  small  fire,  over  which  Jud  Judkins 
was  leaning,  with  several  goodly-sized  fish  opened  and 
impaled  upon  the  prongs  of  a  stick. 

And  beside  him,  piled  upon  some  large,  clean  green 
leaves,  what  did  the  furiously  hungry  party  see? 

A  great  cone  of  the  choicest  fish,  cooked  to  the  per- 
fection of  crumbling  brownness,  with  the  clear  white 
gleaming  through,  and  the  luscious  plumpness  such  as 
to  tempt  the  daintiest  epicure. 

There  was  enough  for  all,  proving  that  the  hunter 
had  prepared  some  of  his  food  before  he  turned  about 
and  sped  up  stream  to  notify  the  fugitives  that  an  early 
dinner  would  be  furnished  them  at  this  point. 

And  such  a  meal — so  rich,  so  delicate,  so  delicious,  so 
abundant!  Never  was  a  dinner  more  thoroughly  en- 
joyed, and  never  was  a  party  more  benefited  by  the 
breaking  of  their  long-enforced  fast. 

When  Augustus  Pipkins  had  eaten  until  he  could  eat 
no  more,  and  then  had  filled  his  meerschaum,  and 
touched  it  off  with  a  match,  he  expressed  himself  as 
"  happy."  After  awhile  he  became  more  mellow,  and 


THE  RED  PLUME  201 

affirmed  that  the  special  service  that  Jubal  Judkins  had 
rendered  the  entire  party  deserved  some  recognition  at 
their  hands. 

"  I  am  undecided  as  to  what  it  shall  be,"  said  he,  as 
he  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  group,  with  his  pipe  in  his 
mouth,  and  his  hat  in  his  hand,  as  though  he  were  pre- 
paring to  make  a  stump  speech. 

"  I  thought  first  of  presenting  him  with  a  handsome 
sword — " 

"  What  in  the  name  of  sense  would  he  do  with  such 
a  weapon  ?  "  demanded  Captain  Swarthausen,  with  a 
laugh. 

"  That's  the  question  I  have  often  asked  myself  when 
I  have  heard  of  your  sword  presentations  in  the  army, 
and  I  finally  gave  it  up,  and  thought  of  a  gold  medal ; 
but  the  objection  to  that  is  that  it  costs  too  much." 

'"  Give  him  a  gun  or  a  brace  of  revolvers,  or  some- 
thing like  that,"  said  Prescott,  "  and  he  will  appreciate 
it — that  is,  if  you  can  get  him  to  accept  it." 

"  A  very  good  idea,  but  these  things  are  deuced  ex- 
pensive," said  the  exquisite.  "  I  had  determined  that 
the  first  handsome  silver-mounted  revolver  I  could  buy 
should  be  presented  by  Augustus  Adolphus  Pipkins, 
unless  some  one  should  be  thoughtful  enough  to  present 
him  with  one  before  I  can  do  so." 

"  As  soon  as  we  reach  a  place  of  safety,  then,"  said 
the  Captain,  "he  shall  have  as  fine  a  brace  of  pistols  as 
can  be  found." 

"  And  when  I  get  back  to  the  office  I  will  draw  up  a 


202  THE  RED  PLUME 

set  of  resolutions,  in  my  best  style — that  whereas,  Mr. 
Jubal  Judkins  has,  etc.,  etc.,  therefore  be  it  resolved 
that  the  thanks  of  the  undersigned  are  due,  and  are 
hereby  tendered,  etc." 

In  the  meantime,  the  subject  of  this  discussion  was 
occupied  in  passing  around  the  outer  edge  of  the  island, 
in  accordance  with  his  usual  cautious  manner,  and  he 
had  no  suspicion  of  what  was  going  on  in  his  absence. 

But  a  half  hour  later  he  made  his  appearance  among 
the  group,  with  the  announcement  that  Red  Plume  was 
coming  down  the  river,  with  a  haste  which  betokened 
important  tidings  upon  his  part. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

LOVE'S  LONGINGS 

NEVER  until  now  had  Lillian  Prescott  realized  how 
deeply  and  truly  she  loved  George  Havens. 

The  handsome  young  officer  had  interested  her  at 
first  sight,  as  any  prepossessing  young  man  will  interest 
a  young  woman  when  brought  in  contact  with  her ;  but 
that  interest  had  grown  into  a  fervent  affection  such  as 
she  had  never  suspected,  until  it  was  brought  home  to 
her  so  vividly  by  her  late  experience. 

She  remembered  their  first  moonlight  sail,  upon 
Sleeping  Water,  and  the  walks  and  conversations  they 
had  had  upon  the  smooth  shore  of  the  lake ;  she  recalled 
the  embarrassment  he  so  frequently  displayed  in  her 
presence;  his  hesitating  words,  his  awkward  manner, 
and  his  sudden  flushing  in  the  face,  when  she  looked  in 
his  countenance  in  her  careless  way;  his  broken  sen- 
tences, when  he  sometimes  attempted  a  compliment — 
his  chivalrous  devotion  to  her,  which  seemed  ever 
longing  for  some  opportunity  to  prove  its  sincerity,  and 
the  undisguised  delight  he  manifested  at  the  slightest 
acknowledgment  she  made  of  his  devotion. 

Then  she  fell  to  musing  upon  himself.  His  modesty 
prevented  her  learning  more  than  a  very  little  of  him 

203 


304 


THE  RED  PLUME 


through  his  words;  but  his  uncle,  who  was  justly  proud 
of  him,  was  by  no  means  so  reticent. 

She  had  heard  him  discourse  upon  his  bravery,  his 
magnanimity,  his  attainments  and  skill  in  his  profes- 
sion, and  the  brilliant  future  which  seemed  opening  be- 
fore him.  It  was  his  nephew  who  graduated  the  first 
in  his  class  at  the  Military  Academy,  and  it  was  he  who 
had  immediately  entered  the  service  as  Colonel,  and 
had  already  attracted  the  attention  of  the  authorities 
above  him. 

"  I  am  a  captain  in  the  regular  army,"  said  the  old 
officer,  "  and  I  have  been  thirty  years  and  more  reach- 
ing it,  and  it  is  an  honorable  position,  if  I  do  say  it  my- 
self. There  are  few  who  came  from  West  Point  when 
I  did  who  have  lived  to  claim  the  title  of  captain,  and  I 
can  go  in  as  a  general  of  volunteers  whenever  I  am 
ready  to  accept  the  commission ;  but  if  George  lives  to 
see  a  half  dozen  years,  he  will  be  out  of  sight  of  me. 
That  you  may  depend  on." 

Many  a  girl  would  have  been  glad  of  the  love  of  such 
a  man  as  Colonel  Havens,  and  more  than  once  Lillian 
became  conscious  of  a  certain  pleasure  in  the  admira- 
tion of  the  young  officer. 

He  was  manly  and  chivalrous — one  of  those  lords  of 
creation  upon  whom  a  woman  can  lean  for  protection, 
as  the  weaker  does  upon  the  stronger. 

Pipkins  was  a  butterfly,  a  plaything,  who  was  amus- 
ing, as  a  parrot  would  have  been  under  similar  circum- 
stances. 


THE  RED  PLUME 


205 


Colonel  Havens  was  thoroughly  brave,  while  cousin 
Pipkins  had  only  read  of  such  traits,  and  knew  nothing 
of  them  from  experience. 

Indeed,  there  was  no  way  in  which  she  could  com- 
pare or  contrast  these  two  without  manifestly  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  the  former. 

And  yet  each  looked  upon  the  other  as  a  rival,  when 
such  a  thing  was  impossible.  It  was  true  that  she  and 
Edith  entertained  a  friendship  for  their  cousin,  and 
were  glad  of  his  coming,  but  had  he  been  "  the  last  man 
on  earth,"  neither  could  have  brought  herself  to  love 
him. 

Ah !  what  would  Lillian  not  have  given  could  she  but 
recall  the  last  few  hours  ?  Why  did  she  treat  him  with 
such  indifference  when  her  whole  heart  warmed  toward 
him?  Why  did  she  not  call  to  him  in  a  voice  which 
would  not  have  failed  to  bring  him  to  her  side  again? 
Why  did  she  allow  him  to  go,  and  carry  away  the  mis- 
understanding, when  a  word  or  look  from  her  would 
have  dissipated  every  cloud  ? 

Then  she  recalled,  with  a  sinking  heart,  the  assertion 
of  Captain  Swarthausen,  that  Colonel  Havens  would 
remain  at  Fort  Grandon  but  a  short  time. 

"  Such  men  are  needed  too  much  elsewhere,"  said  he,. 
"  where  there  is  harder  work  and  more  danger  to  en- 
counter." 

How  probable  that  she  would  never  see  him  again  f 
What  more  likely  than  that  he  would  go  down  to  the 
grave  all  unconscious  of  the  great  love  she  bore  for 


2o6  THE  RED  PLUME 

him  ?  And  then,  how  miserable  the  fate  awaiting  her ! 

So  long  as  father  and  mother  remained  in  peril,  they 
received  the  first  thoughts  and  prayers  of  Lillian  Pres- 
cott;  and  when  Heaven  kindly  brought  parents  and 
children  together,  her  joy  was  so  great  that  she  was 
sure  she  could  never  be  unhappy. 

But  when  the  journey  was  begun  down  the  river,  and 
she  sat  with  her  head  upon  her  dear  father's  shoulder, 
and  the  frightful  peril  grew  faint  and  fainter  with  each 
passing  moment,  then  it  was  that  her  meditations  took 
the  turn  we  have  attempted  to  outline,  and  the  joyous 
exhilaration  of  spirits  sank,  until  it  really  seemed  as  if 
her  heart  would  break. 

For  a  time  the  tears  coursed  silently  down  her 
cheeks,  and  her  parents  believed  them  the  tears  of  joy ; 
and  then,  as  she  mastered  her  feelings  somewhat,  some- 
thing akin  to  despair  settled  upon  her. 

When  the  party  disembarked  upon  the  island,  she  did 
so  mechanically,  and  almost  unconscious  of  what  she 
was  doing.  She  ate,  as  did  the  rest,  for  she  was  weak 
and  needed  nourishment  for  the  body. 

There  was  but  one  in  the  entire  "company  who  sus- 
pected her  secret,  and  she  was  her  sister,  the  noble 
Edith. 

As  soon  after  the  conclusion  of  the  meal  as  it  could 
be  done,  she  drew  Lillian  away  from  the  others,  in  the 
hope  of  cheering  her  in  her  sadness. 

"  There  was  a  coldness  when  you  parted,"  said  the 
elder,  "  and  he  was  offended  at  some  triviality  upoa 


THE  RED  PLUME  »*} 

your  part,  for  I  know  you  could  not  do  anything  of  a 
serious  character  to  offend  him." 

"  Why  did  I  treat  him  so  rudely  ? "  exclaimed 
Lillian,  covering  her  face  with  her  hands,  and  giving 
vent  to  her  pent-up  grief.  "  He  did  not  deserve  it." 

"  Did  he  say  he  would  never  see  you  again  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Then  he  certainly  will,  if  his  life  is  spared ;  and  I 
do  not  know  as  it  would  make  any  difference  if  he  de- 
clared the  other  way." 

"  But  I  may  never  see  him  again?  " 

"  Does  it  look  less  likely  than  it  did  yesterday  that 
we  should  ever  meet  father  and  mother  again  ?  " 

"  But  something  tells  me  I  shall  not." 

"  Nothing  but  Omniscience  can  tell  you  that." 

"  I  do  not  deserve  it,"  said  the  stricken  girl.  "  I  had 
no  business  to  treat  him  as  I  did.  He  ought  not  to 
speak  to  me  again." 

"  That  is  one  of  the  strongest  reasons  in  the  world 
why  he  will  do  so.  I  do  not  deny  that  you  have  trifled 
with  him,  and  acted  wrongfully ;  but  cheer  up,  dearest 
sister,  the  future  will  make  it  all  right." 

"  Do  you  believe  he  loves  me?  "  asked  Lillian,  with 
the  earnest  gaze  of  a  culprit  who  was  about  to  hear  the 
words  that  were  to  decide  his  fate. 

Edith  laughed. 

"  I  told  you  so  months  ago.  Do  you  think  I  would 
have  said  it  unless  I  knew  it  to  be  true  ?  " 

"  But  do  you  think  he  does  now  ?  " 


to8  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  I  am  sure  of  it." 

'"  I  hope  so."  added  Lillian,  with  more  cheerfulness 
in  her  manner;  "  but  I  cannot  be  sure  of  it." 

"  Try  and  dismiss  it  from  your  mind,  for  I  cannot 
bear  to  see  you  so  sad.  Let  us  return,  or  our  continued 
absence  will  excite  apprehension." 

Lillian  walked  toward  the  camp-fire,  where  she  could 
hear  the  merry  voices  of  those  who  were  congregated, 
and  who,  to  her  mind,  seemed  forgetful  that  death  had 
been  so  recently  among  them,  or  that  they  were  still 
liable  at  any  moment  to  his  coming1. 

They  had  walked  but  a  few  steps,  when  she  suddenly 
felt  Edith's  hand  tremble  in  her  own,  as  she  started 
and  exclaimed: 

"  There  he  comes !  " 

Lillian  started  and  looked  up,  and  saw,  not  Havens, 
but  Fielding ! 

And  she  smiled,  for  in  that  morrtent  of  woe  did  she 
not  penetrate  the  secret  of  her  own  dear  sister  ?  " 

The  discovery  gave  her  pleasure,  and  freeing  her 
arm  from  that  of  Edith,  she  walked  away  with  a  lighter 
heart  than  she  had  borne  for  many  an  hour. 

It  looked  accidental — this  meeting  between  Edith 
and  the  Friend.  The  latter  seemed  to  be  wandering 
about  the  island  in  the  most  natural  manner,  and  the 
blush  upon  his  unmistakably  handsome  face  perhaps 
was  caused  by  the  unexpected  meeting. 

It  was  somewhat  singular  that  Edith,  always  so  self- 
possessed,  showed  something  of  the  same  confusion  in 


THE  RED  PLUME  209 

her  manner,  and  replied  to  the  matter-of-fact  observa- 
tions of  Fielding  in  an  abrupt  way,  that  provoked  her 
at  her  own  awkwardness. 

Unconsciously,  perhaps,  Edith's  footsteps  diverged 
from  the  direction  she  was  pursuing  at  first,  and  the 
two  strolled  further  and  further  away  from  the  camp, 
until  thpy  were  at  the  lowermost  extremity  of  the 
island,  where  they  paused,  and  conversed  in  tones  so 
low  that  no  ears  but  those  for  which  the  words  were  in- 
tended heard  them. 

Then  they  wandered  slowly  back  again,  as  closely  to- 
gether as  they  could  walk,  and  it  seemed  for  a  time  that 
it  would  be  night  before  they  could  reach  their  friends. 

Ah !  noble  Edith  Prescott,  in  watching  the  affections 
of  thy  sister,  hast  thou  not  lost  thine  own  ? " 


CHAPTER  XXII 

ON  THE  ISLAND 

THE  return  of  Edith  Prescott  and  Fielding  to  the 
camp  of  their  friends  was  simultaneous  with  the  reap- 
pearance of  Red  Plume. 

The  latter  exchanged  a  few  words  with  Jud,  who 
burst  out  into  uproarious  laughter,  while  the  rest 
looked  on  as  if  they  did  not  comprehend  what  it  all 
meant. 

"  You  may  as  well  laugh,"  said  the  hunter,  turning1 
to  them ;  "  for  them  Sioux  ain't  goin'  to  disturb  us  very 
soon." 

"  Why  not  ?  "  inquired  Captain  Swarthausen. 

"Whiskey!" 

And,  overcome  at  the  absurdity  of  the  picture  the 
friendly  Indian  had  given  him,  Jud  laughed  more 
heartily  than  ever. 

It  was  several  minutes  before  the  fugitives  compre- 
hended what  had  really  taken  place,  and  then,  as  may 
readily  be  supposed,  there  was  not  a  little  wonder  and 
pleas:  are  expressed  at  this  providential  diversion  of 
their  enemies. 

"  It  is  just  the  luckiest  thing  I  ever  heard  tell  on," 
said  Jud,  who  seemed  to  feel  a  childish  delight  at  the 

210 


THE  RED  PLUME  ail 

occurrence.  "  Red  Plume  and  me  just  made  up  our 
minds  this  mornin'  that  there  wasn't  more  than  one  or 
two  of  this  party  that  was  ever  going  to  get  out  of  this 
scrape  alive." 

"  My  God !  was  it  as  bad  as  that !  "  exclaimed  Pres- 
cott,  turning  pale  at  the  thought  of  what  they  had  es- 
caped. 

"  It  was  just  that,"  replied  jud,  with  compressed  lips. 
"  What's  to  save  you  if  they  come  down  the  river  after 
us,  as  we  expected  they  would  ?  We  would  have  had  to 
make  a  fight  for  it,  and  in  a  scrimmage  such  as  that  it 
is  easy  enough  to  tell  how  it  would  have  ended." 

"  Then  we  ought  to  get  down  on  our  knees  and 
thank  God ! "  said  Prescott,  and  all,  including  the 
swarthy  Sioux,  sank  upon  their  knees,  and  silently  re- 
turned thanks  to  Him  who  had  brought  them  thus  far, 
as  He  had  guided  the  children  of  Israel  through  the 
wilderness. 

But  there  was  none  so  ignorant  or  credulous  as  to 
believe  that  they  were  yet  safe.  They  were  many  miles 
from  Fort  Grandon,  the  nearest  point  at  which  they 
could  feel  any  immunity  from  the  treacherous  Sioux 
that  had  now  taken  the  war-path,  and  seemed  actuated 
by  the  spirit  of  demons  incarnate  as  they  raged  over  the 
settlements  of  Minnesota. 

"Where  did  they  get  their  whiskey?"  inquired 
Presort. 

"  It  must  have  been  in  the  house,"  replied  Captain 
Swarthausen. 


THE  RED  PLUME 

"  Dar  wan't  a  drop  dar,"  replied  Dinah,  "'cept  a  little 
in  a  bottle  dat  I  kept  fur  de  rheumatiz,  and  I  give  Cato 
de  last  drop  ob  dat  fur  de  colic  dat  he  said  he  got  last 
night  from  bein'  'sposed  to  de  night  air  too  long." 

"  Yes ;  he  looks  as  if  he  was  very  liable  to  the  colic," 
remarked  Pipkins,  surveying  the  buxom  youngster 
from  head  to  foot.  "  I  think  any  man  that  stuffs  like 
him  would  be  apt  to  die  with  the  worst  kind  of  colic." 

"  Even  if  we  had  had  spirituous  liquors  in  the 
house,"  replied  Prescott,  in  answer  to  the  remark  of 
Captain  Swarthausen,  "  it  would  have  been  destroyed 
before  they  could  have  lain  hands  upon  it." 

"  Didst  thou  say  that  thou  kept  no  liquor  in  thy 
house  ?  "  inquired  Fielding. 

"  Not  unless  it  was  as  Dinah  has  said." 

"  Very  frequently  have  I  detected  the  odor  of  it  when 
Elijah  came  near  me." 

"  And  so  have  I,"  added  Muggins,  speaking  for  the 
first  time  in  a  long  while. 

"  Golly !  dat  feller  used  to  get  drunk  as  a  cow,"  said 
Cato ;  "  hain't  I  seed  'em  stagger  and  tumble  ober  de 
logs?" 

"Where  did  he  get  it?" 

"  I  neber  could  find  out ;  I  tried  to  watch  him  once, 
and  he  hit  me  ober  de  head  wid  a  log,  and  I  took  de 
hint  and  left." 

"  In  what  form  was  it?  "  inquired  Prescott,  turning 
toward  Jud. 


THE  RED  PLUME  213 

"  Pappose  barrel,"  replied  Red  Plume,  who  was  un- 
derstood to  mean  a  keg. 

<:  That  explains  a  mystery,"  added  Prescott.  "  A 
month  or  two  ago  I  sent  Lige  down  the  river  to  meet 
the  steamboat  for  a  keg  of  choice  Bourbon  that  I  had 
ordered  from  St.  Paul,  and  he  came  back  with  the  ex- 
cuse that  it  had  been  lost  off  the  boat.  I  thought  it  was 
strange,  but  I  did  not  suspect  him." 

"  He  was  the  guilty  one." 

"  I  see  how  he  has  hid  it,  and  has  now  brought  it 
forth  to  conciliate  the  Sioux;  and  it  has  done  us  a  far 
greater  service  than  he  imagined." 

"  Didst  thou  see  aught  of  Pomp  ?  "  inquired  Field- 
ing, putting  the  question  directly  to  Red  Plume. 

"  He  dead,"  was  the  instant  reply. 

Humble  as  had  been  the  individual,  this  sudden  an- 
nouncement of  his  death  caused  a  shock  upon  the  part 
of  all.  It  was  a  vivid  reminder  of  the  fiendish  disposi- 
tion of  the  redskins,  and  of  their  malignant  cruelty, 
which  made  no  distinction  between  the  innocent  and 
guilty. 

Fielding  was  seen  to  turn  away  his  head,  and  all  re- 
spected him  the  more  when  they  saw  him  brush  the 
moisture  from  his  eyes. 

Two  of  the  party  had  already  fallen  victims  to  the 
Sioux,  and  a  third  was  in  their  hands — although  the 
latter  individual  was  not  of  much  account,  no  matter 
where  he  was  placed,  and  indeed  the  whites  were 
rather  relieved  at  his  absence  than  otherwise. 


814  THE  RED  PLUME 

Neither  Red  Plume  nor  Jud  had  seen  anything  of 
danger,  either  above  or  below  the  river,  and  it  was  con- 
cluded to  remain  where  they  were  until  nightfall,  or 
perhaps  until  next  morning. 

This  delay  would  give  the  party  the  rest  which  they 
so  much  needed,  and  would  not,  so  far  as  they  could 
see,  compromise  their  safety.  If  they  could  manage  to 
strike  the  other  river  at  such  a  time  as  to  intercept  the 
steamboat,  they  might  be  rescued  without  going  near  as 
far  as  Fort  Grandon. 

But  this  proposal  had  met  with  a  decided  refusal 
from  both  the  scouts — Jud  giving  as  a  reason,  that  in 
all  probability  the  steamer  would  not  run  so  far  up  as 
the  river  until  the  troubles  were  ended,  and  they  would 
have  their  journey  for  nothing,  while  there  was  every 
probability  of  their  being  drawn  into  greater  peril  by 
this  diversion  from  their  course. 

It  was  agreed,  therefore,  to  keep  on  down  the  river 
for  thirty  or  forty  miles,  until  they  reached  Fort  Gran- 
don. This  course  necessitated  no  disappointment,  un- 
less it  should  occur  before  they  reached  there,  but  they 
fully  understood  the  point  for  which  they  were  aiming. 

As  soon  as  it  was  decided  to  spend  the  day  and  night 
where  they  were,  preparations  were  made  to  pass  the 
time  as  agreeably  as  possible. 

The  first  consideration,  in  the  eyes  of  the  scouts,  was 
to  make  the  sail-boat,  which  was  now  moored  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  island,  invisible.  This  told  its  story 


THE  RED  PLUME 

rather  too  plainly  to  be  left  in  open  view  to  whatever 
Indians  might  be  wandering  through  the  country. 

As  there  was  no  means  at  hand  effectually  to  conceal 
it,  Jud  took  it  over  to  the  other  shore,  towing  it  behind 
his  own  canoe.  Here,  by  lowering  the  mast,  he  man- 
aged to  draw  it  under  the  bank,  where  the  undergrowth 
was  particularly  luxuriant,  and  to  secure  it  in  such  a 
manner  that  there  was  scarcely  a  possibility  of  its  being 
seen  by  any  one  going  up  or  down  the  river,  or  even 
upon  the  bank,  unless  accident  should  direct  his  steps 
to  the  very  spot  where  it  nestled  in  the  green  and  exu- 
berant vegetation. 

As  there  were  some  indications  of  a  storm  in  the  sky, 
those  on  shore  employed  themselves  in  preparing,  as 
best  they  could,  a  shelter  for  the  females.  With  the  aid 
of  the  sail  and  several  blankets,  a  sort  of  tent  was  put 
together,  which  was  deemed  sufficient  to  protect  them 
against  any  storm  which  would  be  likely  to  rise  during 
the  night. 

"  As  for  ourselves,"  said  Captain  Swarthausen,  re- 
ferring to  the  male  members  of  the  party,  "  we  must 
take  it  in  the  open  air." 

"  The  night  is  quite  mild,  and  the  shrubbery  is  dense 
enough  overhead  to  keep  off  any  superfluous  moisture," 
replied  Prescott. 

"  Such  nights  as  these  are  the  delight  of  a  soldier, 
and  often  enough  we  have  slept  out  of  doors,  when 
there  were  no  trees  to  keep  off  the  driving  snow,  and 


tl6  THE  RED  PLUME 

scarcely  a  blanket  to  protect  us  from  it,  upon  the 
ground." 

"  That's  what  I  call  carrying  picnicking  to  an  ex- 
treme," observed  Pipkins,  as  he  languidly  puffed  his 
meerschaum.  "  Such  exposure  is  apt  to  give  a  man  cold 
and  make  him  anxious  for  the  comforts  of  home." 

"  Yes ;  one  night  like  that  would  be  the  end  of  you," 
replied  Captain  Swarthausen,  as  he  surveyed  the  femi- 
nine specimen  of  a  man  before  him.  "  I  don't  think  you 
could  ever  become  used  to  it." 

"  That's  the  reason  why  I  have  never  tried,"  was  the 
contented  answer. 

The  rest  upon  the  island  was  a  most  refreshing  one 
to  the  entire  band  of  fugitives.  They  had  all  been  sub- 
jected to  such  toil  and  trial  that,  with  a  feeling  of  even 
temporary  safety,  came  a  reaction,  and  there  was  not 
one  who  did  not  need  sleep. 

While  the  different  ones  disposed  of  themselves  as 
fancy  dictated,  Jud  and  Red  Plume  made  a  tour  of  the 
island.  The  former  had  told  his  friends  to  sleep  while 
they  had  the  opportunity,  and  he  would  alternate  with 
the  Sioux  during  the  night,  provided  it  looked  safe  to 
do  so. 

Veteran  scouts  as  these  two  men  were,  and  similar  as 
were  their  tastes  and  judgments,  a  casual  observer 
would  have  seen  at  once  that  there  was  some  point  of 
difference  between  them.  Their  views  were  dissimilar 
upon  some  point  which  concerned  the  safety  of  the 
company. 


THE  RED  PLUME  217 

It  was  apparently  a  slight  difference ;  but,  when  the 
consequences  of  a  mistake  in  the  wrong  direction  are 
considered,  it  will  be  seen  how  vitally  it  concerned  our 
friends,  who,  in  all  their  dreamings,  did  not  dream  of 
any  such  thing  entering  the  heads  of  their  guardians. 

Red  Plume  believed  that  they  were  still  in  danger 
from  the  Sioux  along  the  lake.  True,  there  was  not  a 
strong  probability  of  these  drunken  savages  starting 
in  pursuit  of  an  enemy  just  then ;  but  it  was  probable 
that  they  would  be  in  a  condition  to  do  so  by  nightfall, 
for  the  simple  reason  that  their  whiskey  could  not  hold 
out  much  longer ;  and  after  a  debauch  of  this  kind  they 
would  be  in  as  vindictive  and  merciless  a  temper  as  it  is 
possible  for  a  degraded  redskin  to  be. 

Old  Jud  saw  no  danger  at  all.  If  the  Sioux  should 
regain  enough  of  their  senses  to  be  able  to  pursue  them, 
they  would  regain  enough  sense,  also,  to  see  the  useless- 
ness  of  it,  when  there  would  be  every  reason  to  believe 
that  the  whites  were  far  byond  their  reach,  even  before 
they  could  start  after  them. 

The  dusky  scout  was  not  given  to  argument,  and 
when  he  found  how  opinionated  his  white  companion 
was,  he  ceased  to  dispute,  and  signified  his  acquies- 
cence in  his  views ;  but  Jud  saw  plainly  enough  that  it 
was  one  of  those  things  which  was  done  purely  for 
peace  sake. 

This  conclusion  was  hardly  reached  when  Red 
Plume  pointed  to  the  eastern  shore,  a  short  distance  up 


2l8  THE  RED  PLUME 

stream,  uttering  an  exclamation  of  displeasure  at  the 
same  time. 

That  which  he  saw  was  the  same  sign  that  met  the 
eye  of  the  Otter  and  Colonel  Havens  in  ascending  the 
stream  the  day  before — that  is,  the  smoke  of  a  camp- 
fire  ascending  through  the  tops  of  the  trees. 

"Dar  Injin,"  remarked  Red  Plume,  in  his  broken 
English. 

"Yes,  and  there,  too,"  replied  the  scout,  pointing 
down  the  river,  but  on  the  opposite  side,  where  a  simi- 
lar sight  was  observed. 

This,  then,  was  proof  that  they  were  in  a  neighbor- 
hood of  great  danger,  and  it  looked  as  though  it  was 
a  prudent  thing  to  halt  when  and  where  they  did. 

Old  Jud  looked  significantly  toward  his  dusky 
friend,  and  smiled,  but  that  stolid  face  was  as  inex- 
pressive as  a  stone,  and  gave  no  indication  of  what 
were  the  thoughts  of  the  Indian. 

If  the  night  was  to  be  spent  here,  it  was  necessary 
that  some  provision  should  be  made,  as  only  frag- 
ments of  the  fishes  remained.  There  was  no  good  place 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  island  to  fish,  so  Jud 
entered  his  canoe,  and  pulled  for  the  other  shore,  where 
he  had  met  with  such  abundant  good  fortune  during 
the  afternoon. 

This  left  Red  Plume  with  the  duty  of  watching  and 
protecting  the  entire  island ;  but  he  felt  fully  competent 
to  do  so,  at.  least  during  the  day,  when  he  was  able  to 
scan  every  approach  with  his  eagle  eye,  and  communi- 


THE  RED  PLUME  319 

cate  with  Jud,  who  was  within  easy  signalling  dis- 
tance. 

The  sky,  by  this  time,  was  overcast  with  clouds,  and 
there  was  every  appearance  of  an  approaching  storm. 
Faint  rumbling  thunder  was  heard  in  the  distance,  ac- 
companied by  occasional  flashes  of  lightning,  and  a 
cool  wind  swayed  the  forest  trees,  and  wrinkled  the 
surface  of  the  river. 

The  storm,  however,  passed  off  to  the  northward, 
only  a  few  drops  falling  upon  the  island,  while  it 
raged,  with  great  fierceness  a  few  miles  up  the  river. 

Old  Jud  saw  a  fortunate  turn  of  affairs  in  this,  as 
such  a  turmoil  in  the  woods  would  be  pretty  certain  to 
obliterate  all  signs  of  the  trail  which  had  been  left  along 
the  margin  of  the  lake,  and  compel  the  Sioux,  in  case 
they  should  think  of  pursuing,  to  go  it  blind  more  de- 
cidedly than  ever. 

Any  one  who  understood  the  nature  of  Red  Plume 
would  have  seen,  on  the  instant,  that  he  was  far  from 
being  satisfied  with  the  shape  matters  had  taken.  He 
walked  back  and  forth,  in  and  out  among  the  trees,  first 
appearing  at  the  upper  and  then  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
island,  and  scanning  every  portion  of  the  shore  thai 
was  visible. 

The  long  summer  afternoon  gradually  wore  away, 
and  still  every  one  of  the  fugitives  slept  soundly,  show- 
ing how  necessary,  in  one  sense  at  least,  it  was  that  the 
rest  should  have  been  obtained  for  them. 

Just  as  the  sun  was  setting,  the  canoe  of  Jud  put  out 


220  THE  RED  PLUME 

in  the  river,  and  rapidly  approached  the  island.  As 
the  scout  drew  his  boat  up  the  bank,  he  revealed  a  fine 
pile  of  fish  which  by  some  legerdemain,  he  had  in- 
veigled from  the  water  into  the  boat. 

About  this  time,  also,  there  was  a  general  awaking 
up  of  the  party,  and  a  universal  sense  of  hunger  among 
them  all. 

Old  Jud  having  given  some  hints  to  Dinah  of  the 
process  by  which  he  had  prepared  the  fish,  it  was  left 
to  her,  while  the  others  busied  themselves  as  they  chose. 

Most  of  them  took  to  wandering  over  the  island,  in 
the  best  of  spirits,  which  were  dampened,  however, 
somewhat,  by  Jud  stating  to  them  that  it  was  the  wish 
of  Red  Plume  that  they  should  expose  themselves  as 
little  as  possible  to  view  from  the  shore. 

When  asked  for  an  explanation  of  this  request,  he 
simply  replied  that  it  was  the  wish  of  the  Sioux,  who 
would  not  have  made  such  a  request  unless  there  was 
reason  for  it,  and  the  best  thing  they  could  do  was  to 
obey  it. 

To  several  of  the  men,  Jud  explained  that  there  were 
Indians  at  no  great  distance,  and  an  unfortunate  dis- 
closure of  the  presence  of  the  whites  upon  the  island 
would  be  very  likely  to  bring  on  a  collision. 

"Dat's  what  I  tink,"  said  Cato,  who  was  listening, 
open-  mouthed,  to  these  words;  "dar's  Injuns  'bout  yer, 
'cause  I  seed  'em." 

"  Where  did  you  see  them  ?  "  inquired  Prescott,  in 
no  little  surprise. 


THE  RED  PLUME  szi 

"  When  I  was  down  at  de  lower  end  de  island ;  I 
was  lookin'  'bout;  I  seed  'leven  Injuns  in  one  boat  a 
rowin'  'cross  de  riber." 

"When?" 

"  'Bout  half  an  hour  ago." 

"  You  were  asleep  then,"  said  Captain  Swarthausen. 

The  negro  scratched  his  head,  as  if  he  were  unde- 
cided regarding  that  matter.  Finally,  his  face  lit  as 
he  looked  up. 

"  Dat  be  so;  I  dreamed  it  suah." 

"  Shouldn't  wonder  ef  you  seen  it  afore  you  see 
daylight  agin,"  remarked  Jud,  in  a  voice  which 
showed  he  was  in  earnest. 

"Are  there  no  settlements  in  this  neighborhood?" 
inquired  Fielding. 

"  There  ain't  exactly  what  you  call  settlements,"  he 
replied,  "  but  there  are  houses  scattered  here  and  there, 
and  they're  the  ones  that  be  catching  it.  Them's  the 
kind  of  enemies  the  Sioux  like  to  pounce  down  upon." 

"  Suppose  they  should  attack  us  upon  the  island, 
have  we  much  chance  of  defending  ourselves  ?  "  in- 
quired Prescott. 

"  If  they  don't  come  too  fast.  You  see  they'd  have 
to  come  over  the  water,  while  we'd  have  the  shelter  of 
the  trees;  and  that's  just  the  way  the  redskins  don't 
like  to  have  matters  fixed." 

"  They  would  not  be  likely  to  make  an  open  at- 
tack?" 


222  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  Not  as  long  as  there  was  any  other  chance.  You 
see  how  they  worked  it  along  the  lake." 

"  There's  one  thing  certain,"  laughed  Captain 
Swarthausen,  "  we  ain't  as  likely  to  be  burned  out  as 
we  were  there." 

"  That  is  what  I  call  fortunate,"  remarked  Pipkins; 
"  there's  only  one  danger  that  I  foresee,  in  case  the  abo- 
rigines should  find  out  we  were  picnicking  here,  and 
decide  to  molest  us." 

All  looked  inquiringly  at  the  young  man  for  his  ex- 
planation of  what  he  feared. 

"  Finding  we  have  intrenched  ourselves  here,  they 
may  throw  up  a  dam  across  the  water  above  and  shut 
the  water  off." 

"  How  will  that  benefit  them?  " 

"  Then  they  can  march  upon  us  overland,  just  as 
your  soldiers  charge  upon  a  fort  or  embankment." 

Pipkins  seemed  so  earnest  in  what  he  said,  that  more 
than  one  laughed,  especially  Captain  Swarthausen,  who 
declared  that  he  was  born  for  a  general. 

"  That's  what  I've  been  told  before,  and  if  it  wasn't 
for  my  confounded  modesty  I  would  have  been  a  gen- 
eral by  this  time — hello ! — hark !  " 

Every  one  started,  for  at  that  moment  they  heard  the 
faint  discharge  of  guns,  as  if  two  parties  were  encoun- 
tering each  other. 

"  Is  that  up  or  down  the  river?  "  asked  Prescott. 

"  It's  off  here,"  replied  the  Captain,  pointing  to  the 
right. 


THE  RED  PLUME  223 

"That's  up  the  river,"  added  Jud;  "the  way  the 
Stream  winds  round  and  round." 

"  What's  the  meaning  of  it?  " 

The  scout  shook  his  head. 

"  That's  more  than  I  kin  tell ;  I  don't  know  as  I  ever 
heerd  them  guns  afore,  else  I  might  tell  you  who  fired 
'em." 

"  It  confirms  what  you  have  said,  at  any  rate,  that 
the  Sioux  are  on  every  side  of  us." 

"  Do  you  think,"  asked  Captain  Swarthausen,  "  that 
it  was  our  wisest  plan  to  halt  here  for  the  night?  " 

Jud  hesitated  a  moment  before  replying. 

"  I  don't  know  how  to  answer  that  'ere  question  till 
we've  got  through  this  muss,  and  found  out  what  we've 
had  to  go  through.  Red  Plume,  I  may  as  well  tell  you, 
was  opposed  to  our  stayin'  here  till  morning." 

"Why  so?" 

"  Wall,  it's  hard  to  tell ;  but  I  think  he's  changed  his 
mind,  and  concluded  that  it  was  the  best  thing  we  could 
do." 

"  Is  it  better  to  go  at  night  or  daytime?  " 

*  From  the  way  things  look,  it's  better  to  take  the 
day  for  it.  You  see  there's  enough  moon  to  show  the 
white  sail  to  both  sides  the  shore,  and  there  would  be 
some  redskins  that  would  be  sure  to  see  it." 

"  Hardly  as  likely  to  do  so,  as  during  the  day." 

"  Just  so ;  but  in  the  day  time  we'd  have  a  chance 
of  seein'  where  we  was  runnin',  and  be  ready  to  sar- 
cumvent  any  trick  of  the  rascals." 


THE  RED  PLUME 

The  conversation  suddenly  ceased,  for  the  report  of 
guns  was  again  heard,  and  all  listened  with  great  inter- 
est. 

It  was  just  growing  dusk,  and  there  was  scarcely  a 
breath  of  air  stirring  the  leaves,  so  that  a  slight  sound 
could  be  heard  at  a  great  distance,  even  when  ob- 
structed by  the  woods.  The  plash  of  a  small  fish  that 
sprang  above  the  surface,  at  a  long  distance  up  stream, 
was  heard  as  plainly  as  if  it  were  within  a  rod  or  two 
of  where  they  stood. 

Old  Jud  was  of  an  opinion  that  the  guns  which  they 
heard,  were  about  a  mile  off,  which  was  twice  as  far 
as  any  of  the  others  had  supposed. 

"  There  be  farm  houses  here  and  there,"  he  added, 
"  and  there's  no  tellin'  what  this  means.  It  may  be 
some  of  the  settlers  fighting  for  their  lives.  I  will  see 
what  Red  Plume  thinks  of  it." 

He  walked  away,  and  when  at  the  end  of  a  few  min- 
utes he  returned,  all  noticed  the  serious  expression  of 
his  countenance. 

"  The  redskin  says  it  comes  from  the  varmints  and 
settlers  fightin',  and  he  b'leves  they've  found  out  we 
be  here." 

"Good  heavens !  what  don't  they  find  out ! "  ex- 
claimed Mr.  Prescott,  not  a  little  alarmed  at  this  as- 
tounding intelligence  "Are  we  never  to  be  safe  ?  " 

"  Not  as  long  as  we  stay  in  this  outlandish  country. 
I  tell  you,  you  folks  don't  know  what  a  general  clean- 
ing out  these  infarnal  varmints  are  making.  Ef  we 


THE  RED  PLUME  225 

don't  get  into  Fort  Grandon  afore  long,  it's  my  'pin- 
ion we'll  never  get  there  at  all." 

The  altered  manner  of  the  scout  impressed  all,  and 
threw  quite  a  chill  over  the  good  feelings  which  had 
hitherto  prevailed. 

"  Did  Red  Plume  give  his  reason  for  thinking  the 
heathen  knew  we  were  here?  "  inquired  Fielding. 

"  No ;  I  s'pose  he  hasn't  got  any  partic'lar  reason ; 
but  he's  been  looking  around  powerful  sharp  since 
we've  been  here,  and  has  come  to  his  'elusion  on  gen- 
eral principles,  I  think." 

"  Then  there  is  a  possibility  of  his  being  mistaken  ?  " 
added  the  Friend. 

"  I  s'pose  he  might  be,  but  the  safest  way  in  a  thing 
like  this,  is  to  think  he  ain't." 

Further  conversation  was  interrupted  by  Dinah 
shouting  in  a  voice  that  certainly  must  have  penetrated 
a  mile: 

"  Suppah's  ready,  and  ef  you  folks  don't  come  purty 
quick,  my  baby  will  eat  eberyting  dar  is  fur  you !  " 

This  produced  a  panic,  and  in  a  very  brief  space  of 
time,  the  fugitives  were  gathered  around  the  pile  of 
fish,  and  eating  with  as  keen  appetites,  almost,  as 
marked  their  first  meal'  upon  the  island. 

The  fire  had  been  kindled  among  the  trees  where  the 
surrounding  vegetation  was  dense  enough  to  prevent 
its  attracting  attention  from  the  shore.  This  place  had 
been  intentionally  selected  on  this  account,  when  the 
first  fire  was  started  by  old  Jud  himself. 


aa6  THE  RED  PLUME 

The  island  itself,  especially  the  upper  portion  wa3 
covered  with  a  large  quantity  of  drift-wood,  brought 
down  during  many  a  previous  freshet,  and  this  made 
the  best  of  fuel  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  used. 

It  was  observed  by  all,  that  Red  Plume  displayed  a 
capacity  for  holding  food,  which,  to  say  the  least,  was 
amazing. 

"  Don't  think  he's  eat  a  mouthful  for  two  days,  "  re- 
marked Jud,  by  way  of  explanation,  "  and  he  would  go 
longer  yet  without  sayin'  a  word,  ef  it  didn't  happen  to 
be  handy.  " 

"  It's  a  gift,  "  said  Pipkins,  who  was  not  a  great 
ways  behind  the  savage  in  his  appetite ;  "  he  and  I  are 
a  good  deal  alike." 

"  How  do  you  make  that  out?  "  inquired  Prescott. 

"  Why  don't  you  see  what  capabilities  we  have  in 
the  gastronomic  line?  " 

"  But  you  have  not  abstained  as  long  as  he." 

"There's  where  the  slight  difference  comes  in;  we 
are  like  and  unlike,  you  see.  I  don't  require  the  time 
to  develop  my  power  in  that  direction ;  still,  the  power 
itself  is  very  similar  in  both  cases.  " 

And  Pipkins  laughed,  as  if  certain  that  he  had  said 
something  extremely  funny. 

Lillian,  Edith,  and  her  mother,  were  quite  reserved, 
and  evidently  did  not  participate  in  the  hilarity  of 
spirits  displayed  by  several  of  the  others. 

The  great  loss  which  Muggins  had  suffered  was  con- 
tinually manifest  in  his  action  and  appearance.  He 


THE  RED  PLUME 

had  not  been  seen  to  smile  since  he  had  learned  the  sad 
news. 

Naturally  of  a  genial  disposition,  this  was  all  the 
more  noticeable,  and  he  had  the  sympathy  of  all,  in- 
cluding Pipkins  himself,  who  was  not  without  a  certain 
kindness  of  heart,  in  spite  of  the  triviality  he  displayed 
so  continually. 

The  storm  which  had  impended  some  hours  before, 
had  now  entirely  disappeared,  and  the  sky  was  almost 
entirely  clear  of  clouds.  The  light  of  the  moon  was 
unobstructed,  and  the  night  was  to  be  a  fairer  one  than 
the  preceding. 

The  fugitives  were  now  so  thoroughly  rested,  that 
there  was  some  thought  of  resuming  their  journey,  as 
soon  as  darkness  was  fairly  settled  upon  them,  but  Red 
Plume  and  Jud  agreed  that  probably  nothing  would 
be  gained  by  it.  There  was  no  island  for  many  miles 
that  offered  such  a  good  place  of  refuge  as  this,  and  it 
was  no  more  than  prudent  to  refuse  to  leave  it,  until 
they  understood  the  bearings  of  the  land  before  them. 

Furthermore,  there  was  strong  reason  to  believe  that 
the  Indians  had  discovered  the  presence  of  the  whites 
upon  the  island,  and  would  attempt  a  reconnoissance  of 
it  before  venturing  upon  an  attack. 

Quite  late  in  the  evening,  after  the  females  had  re- 
tired to  their  tent,  the  sentinels  were  placed.  Fielding 
took  the  upper  end  of  the  island,  Muggins  the  lower, 
Prescott  one  side  and  Pipkins  the  other,  while  old  Jud 
took  upon  himself  the  office  of  general-in-chief,  or 


228  THE  RED  PLUME 

superintendent,  it  being  his  purpose  to  walk  around 
and  see  that  each  man  did  his  duty. 

Red  Plume  consented  to  take  the  rest  which  his  iron 
frame  needed;  for  many  an  hour  had  passed  since  he 
had  closed  his  eyes  in  sleep,  or  had  given  even  his 
strained  faculties  a  few  minutes'  rest. 

So  he  folded  his  blanket  around  him,  and  lay  down 
beneath  one  of  the  trees,  where  he  could  be  easily 
reached  by  a  signal  from  Jud,  and  here  he  immediately 
sank  into  that  profound  sleep  characteristic  of  the  In- 
dian race. 

Jud  impressed  upon  each  man  the  necessity  of  his 
keeping  thoroughly  wide  awake,  and  each  very  natur- 
ally intended  to  do  so;  Pipkins  lighting  his  meer- 
schaum by  way  of  assisting  him  in  the  matter. 

"  If  you  want  to  go  to  sleep,  smoke  your  pipe,  "  said 
he,  as  he  adjusted  himself  in  position;  "  if  you  want  to 
keep  awake,  smoke  your  pipe;  that  constitutes  what  I 
call  the  nicotine  paradox,"  he  added,  as  he  gave  an 
enormous  whiff.  "  I  say,  Jud,  if  I  see  one  of  the  noble 
red  men  of  the  woods  endeavoring  to  steal  upon  this 
delightful  island,  I  am  to  shoot  him,  ain't  I  ?  " 

"  Yes.  " 

"  Unless  he  gives  the  countersign,  I  suppose.  What 
is  that?" 

'  You  may  pick  out  your  own  countersign, " 
laughed  the  scout,  somewhat  amused  at  the  eccentric- 
ities of  the  young  exquisite. 

"'E  pluribus  unum'  then,  is  the  word,"  said   he; 


THE  RED  PLUME  229 

"  just  instruct  the  others  on  that  point,  and  tell  them 
that  it  must  be  uttered  in  pure  English,  and  not  in  the 
Sioux  tongue." 

"  Did  you  ever  shoot  a  man?  "  inquired  Jud. 

"  Never  but  once,  and  then  it  turned  out  to  be  a  mule 
that  somebody  had  killed  before  me,  I  never  scalped  an 
Indian — that's  certain.  " 

"  You  needn't  take  the  trouble  to  raise  the  hair  of 
any  you  might  see  to-night ;  but  the  minute  you're  SUP* 
it's  a  redskin,  blaze  away.  " 

"  All  right ;  I  comprehend  your  instructions.  " 

With  which  Pipkins  resumed  his  pipe  and  passed  on. 

Muggins,  although  generally  of  little  account,  was 
sure  to  be  reliable  in  any  emergency  to-night.  He  was 
silent  and  thoughtful,  and  would  doubtless  be  glad  of 
an  opportunity,  although,  in  a  slight  degree,  to  repay 
the  merciless  redskins  for  the  terrible  affliction  they  had 
brought  upon  him. 

He  quietly  promised  an  obedience  to  the  commands 
of  the  scout,  who  gave  him  but  little  instruction,  and 
passed  on  to  Fielding. 

Here  there  was  even  less  yet  said.  The  Friend  had 
learned  an  amazing  lot  within  the  last  week  or  two,  and 
especially  within  the  preceding  twenty-four  hours,  and 
the  hunter  had  the  good  taste  not  to  say  too  much  to 
him. 

Prescott  was  quite  apprehensive,  and  it  will  be  ad- 
mitted that  he  had  a  good  cause.  His  residence  in 
Minnesota  had  been  extended  enough  to  give  him  an 


33o  THE  RED  PLUME 

idea  of  the  frightful  atrocities  of  which  the  redskins 
were  capable,  and,  when  it  is  remembered  that  he  had 
his  wife  and  two  children  with  him,  it  would  have  been 
unnatural  had  he  been  indifferent  to  the  situation. 

"  Have  you  any  suspicion  of  the  manner  in  which 
they  will  attack  us  ?  "  he  inquired  of  Jud. 

"  Dunno  as  they  will  do  it  at  all.  " 

"  I  know ;  we  all  hope  they  won't ;  but,  provided  they 
do,  in  what  shape  may  we  expect  them  ?  " 

"  Some  of  'em  will  come  sneakin'  around  at  first,  to 
find  out  whether  we're  on  the  look-out  for  them  or  not. 
You  won't  have  any  trouble  in  seein'  them,  'cause,  as  I 
said,  they  won't  take  extra  pains  to  hide  themselves — 
but  it's  them  that  come  afterward,  when  they  feel  like 
'tending  to  business.  " 

"And  how  shall  we  look  for  them?  Although,  I 
suppose,  that  if  we  are  sharp  enough  to  keep  up  a  good 
watch,  there  is  no  fear  but  that  we  shall  see  them.  " 

"  No ;  you  know  as  much  'bout  that  as  I  do.  " 

Having  stationed  and  instructed  them  all,  the  scout 
began  his  rounds,  making  it  a  point  to  come  upon  the 
sentinels  in  such  silence  as  to  prevent  their  "  trim- 
ming," and  putting  on  a  vigilance,  which  was  not  a 
fair  criterion  of  their  diligence. 

Fielding,  as  a  matter  of  course,  was  wide  awake,  and 
as  keenly  alert  as  a  veteran  mountaineer  could  have 
been,  so  the  scout  passed  on  without  letting  him  know 
of  his  presence.  Muggins  was  silent  and  watchful,  as 


THE  RED  PLUME  231 

was  Prescott,  and  Jud  quietly  went  by  them  all,  with- 
out permitting  them  to  be  aware  of  his  proximity. 

Pipkins  was  sitting  on  the  ground  leaning  against  a 
tree,  and  very  silent — so  silent,  indeed,  that  the  scout 
approached  closer,  and  looked  in  his  face. 

As  he  expected,  he  was  sound  asleep ! 

To  test  his  watchfulness,  Jud  tramped  about  him 
several  times,  and  even  stumbled  over  him,  but  he  slept 
on ;  and  he  finally  left  him  as  he  was,  unwilling  to  dis- 
turb the  slumber  that  must  be  so  refreshing. 

He  had  moved  but  a  few  steps,  when  a  signal  from 
Fielding  drew  him  in  that  direction.  The  next  moment 
he  was  at  his  side. 

"  If  I  am  not  greatly  mistaken,"  said  the  Quaker, 
"  yonder  is  a  boat  passing  down  stream,  at  about  an 
equal  distance  from  the  island  and  yonder  shore.  " 

Ere  the  deliberately  speaking  young  man  had  fin- 
ished his  sentence,  Jud  was  looking  sharply  in  the  di- 
rection indicated.  He  saw  distinctly  a  large  boat  float- 
ing downward  with  the  current. 

"  Yes ;  yonder  goes  a  boat,  "  he  replied,  after  a  mo- 
ment's scrutiny,  "  and  what's  more,  ifs  ours — the  very 
sail  boat  I  pulled  under  the  bank.  " 

"  It  may  have  floated  free — " 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it — there  be  Injins  in  it!  '* 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

"  MANOEUVRING   FOR   POSITION  " 

THIS  was  not  a  very  pleasant  discovery  to  make, 
looking  at  the  simple  theft  itself,  or  its  signification  of 
the  proximity  of  the  Indians, 

The  boat  could  be  plainly  seen  as  it  floated  down 
stream,  and  the  fact  that  it  went  neither  faster  nor 
slower  than  the  current,  caused  the  belief  of  Fielding 
that  it  had  merely  drifted  loose. 

"  It's  all  a  trick,  "  said  Jud ;  "  it's  done  on  purpose 
to  make  us  think  that.  " 

"  Dost  thou  think  there  is  a  heathen  in  it  ?  " 

"  I  don't  see  any ;  but  if  there  ain't  any  inside,  they're 
watchin'  'long  shore,  in  the  hope  that  some  of  us  will 
go  out  to  pick  it  up.  " 

"And  must  we  lose  the  boat?  Verily,  we  can  ill 
suffer  such  a  loss.  " 

"  We  can't  stop  it  just  now ;  I'll  go  down  to  the 
t'other  end  the  island,  and  see  what  I  kin  see.  " 

Upon  reaching  the  lowest  point  of  the  land  upon 
which  they  were  camped,  the  scout  admonished  Mug- 
gins to  keep  invisible  and  remain  quiet ;  and  then,  lying 
flat  upon  the  ground,  he  carefully  scrutinized  the  boat 
as  it  floated  away  from  him. 

232 


THE  RED  PLUME  233 

By  placing  himself  as  low  down  as  possible,  the 
scout  hoped  to  bring  the  gunwales  of  the  boat  against 
the  clear  sky  beyond,  but  found  it  could  not  be  done 
for  a  few  moments,  as  the  dark  back-ground  of  trees, 
on  the  other  shore,  interposed  and  prevented. 

But  as  the  vessel  drifted  downward,  it  passed  away 
from  this  bank  of  shadow,  and  got  below  Jud,  so  that 
it  stood  out  upon  the  surface  of  the  water,  with  nothing 
but  the  river  itself  in  the  back-ground  beyond. 

However,  by  this  time  it  was  so  far  away,  that  it 
could  not  be  seen  with  very  great  distinctness;  but, 
scanning  it  as  intently  as  possible,  the  hunter  fancied 
he  saw  the  head  of  an  Indian  moving  along  the  gun- 
wale, as  if  he  were  stealthily  changing  his  position. 

His  supposition  upon  this  ground  was  strengthened 
by  noticing  a  change  in  the  course  of  the  boat.  In- 
stead of  keeping  on  down  the  river  in  the  direct  line 
it  had  been  following  during  the  last  few  minutes,  it 
was  diverted  toward  the  bank  which  it  had  previously 
left,  and  continued  steadily  nearing  it,  until,  as  it  was 
about  fading  out  in  the  distance,  it  mingled  with  the 
gloom  of  the  overhanging  undergrowth,  and,  although 
it  had  vanished  from  view,  Jud  was  certain  that  it  was 
at  rest. 

The  fact  that  it  had  gone  out  from  the  shore  and 
returned  to  it  at  a  point  lower  down,  was  proof  enough 
that  human  agency  was  concerned  in  the  business ;  but 
the  hunter  was  somewhat  puzzled  to  understand  how 
the  boat  had  been  discovered  by  the  savages. 


234  THE  RED  PLUME 

True,  it  might  have  happened  by  accident,  but  it  was 
so  unlikely,  that  he  was  forced  to  conclude  that  he  must 
have  been  watched  at  the  time  he  concealed  it  himself, 
and  thus,  without  knowing  it,  he  had  been  in  the  power 
of  the  redskins,  who  could  have  shot  him  at  any  mo- 
ment while  he  was  egaged  in  fishing. 

Jud  conjectured  that  his  enemies,  knowing  as  they 
did  that  the  island  would  be  guarded  by  sentinels, 
hoped  to  draw  one  or  two  of  them  in  pursuit,  and  thus 
uncover  the  approach  to  the  fugitives,  and  give  the 
Sioux  the  coveted  opportunity  of  stealing  upon  them 
unawares  in  the  night. 

With  this  explanation,  the  prudence  of  Jud  will  be 
appreciated  in  not  venturing  out  after  the  boat.  Un- 
questionable as  was  the  ability  of  our  friends  to  make 
a  good  defence,  there  were  none  of  them  at  all  anxious 
to  bring  on  an  encounter  with  their  treacherous  en- 
emies. 

Still,  the  hunter  was  not  disposed  quietly  to  give  up 
their  property,  which  was  so  indispensable  to  his  com-, 
panions  in  continuing  their  flight  down  the  river. 
With  only  the  two  small  canoes  at  their  command,  it 
was  impossible  to  carry  more  than  half  the  company. 

He  was  confident  that,  for  the  present,  at  least,  the 
boat  would  not  be  taken  any  great  distance,  and,  when 
he  was  prepared  to  manoeuvre  for  its  recovery,  he  was 
confident  that  he  knew  where  to  look  for  it.  Until  then 
he  could  wait  on  more  important  matters. 


THE  RED  PLUME  235 

"  If  you  see  anything  more,  "  said  Jud  to  Muggins, 
"jist  give  a  low  whistle,  like,  and  I  will  be  here." 

With  this,  he  started  toward  the  upper  end  of  the 
island,  passing  en  his  way  Augustus  Pipkins,  who,  as 
might  be  supposed,  was  still  sound  asleep.  Placing  his 
arm  upon  his  shoulder,  he  was  forced  to  shake  him 
quite  roughly  before  he  could  induce  him  to  open  his 
eyes. 

"  I'm  afeared  you'll  catch  cold,  "  remarked  the  hun- 
ter ;  "hadn't  you  better  put  your  blanket  over  you  ?  " 

Pipkins  rubbed  his  eyes  for  some  time,  before  he 
succeeded  in  thoroughly  awaking,  but  his  self-posses- 
sion did  not  forsake  him. 

"You  see,  I  knew  there  wouldn't  be  any  danger  be- 
fore midnight,  so  I  thought  I  would  prepare  myself  by 
taking  a  little  nap  between  now  and  then." 

"  But  I  tell  you,  there  is  danger  all  the  time;  as 
much  now  as  at  any  time." 

"  Indeed !  is  it  possible  ?  Why  didn't  you  tell  me 
that  in  the  first  place.  I  am  glad  you  have  mentioned 
it,  for  now  I  will  remember  it." 

"  I  hope  you  will,  "  said  Jud,  as  he  changed  his  mind, 
and  walked  back  toward  Muggins. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Fielding,  who  was  as 
wide  awake  as  a  weasel,  was  startled  by  hearing  a 
slight  ripple  of  the  water,  close  to  where  he  was  stand- 
ing beside  a  tree,  which  sounded  differently  from  the 
usual  wash  of  the  current  against  the  sand. 

Knowing  the  insidious  nature  of  the  redskins,  he 


*36  THE  RED  PLUME 

carefully  took  a  step  or  two  forward  and  peered  into 
the  water. 

He  possessed  a  keen  vision,  and  he  used  it  to  the 
best  of  his  ability,  but  could  discern  nothing  out  of 
the  usual  order  of  things,  and,  after  a  minute  or  so,  he 
stepped  back  again,  with  his  suspicions  partly  but  not 
entirely  disarmed. 

Some  little  time  passed  when  precisely  the  same 
sound  was  heard,  and  he  again  advanced  and  looked 
out,  but  with  no  better  success  than  before. 

"  It  may  be  that  the  storm  of  a  few  hours  ago  has 
raised  the  river  somewhat,  and  the  increasing  volume 
is  what  I  hear  upon  the  beach, "  he  reflected,  as  he 
stepped  back  to  his  place  once  more. 

But  at  this  juncture  he  observed  a  slight  swaying  of 
the  bushes  along  the  shore,  and  immediately  after,  be- 
came certain  that  an  Indian,  on  his  hands  and  knees, 
was  stealing  toward  him. 

The  Quaker  stepped  back  and  concealed  himself  be- 
hind the  tree.  The  next  second  he  saw  the  Sioux 
slowly  rise  to  a  crouching  position,  and  look  search- 
ingly  around  in  the  darkness. 

He  held  this  bent  attitude  for  quite  a  time,  not  only 
looking  but  listening,  while  Fielding  never  once  took 
his  eyes  from  him. 

Strange  emotions  agitated  the  Friend.  He  very  well 
knew  that  any  other  member  of  the  party  placed  in  his 
position  would  not  hesitate  to  fire. 

By  his  side  was  his  loaded  rifle,  and,  in  a  twinkling. 


THE  RED  PLUME  237 

he  could  bring  it  to  his  shoulder  and  send  a  bullet 
through  the  brain  or  heart  of  the  daring  redskin,  who 
was  less  than  a  dozen  feet  away.  But  all  through  the 
frightful  experiences  of  the  last  day  or  two,  he  had  not 
knowingly  killed  a  person,  although  he  had  some  mis- 
givings as  to  the  ultimate  fate  of  the  individual,  whom, 
it  will  be  remembered,  he  assisted  off  the  roof  he  was 
seeking  to  fire. 

And  although  he  was  strongly  tempted  to  shoot  this 
miscreant,  whose  only  object  was  evil,  in  coming  upon 
the  island  in  this  manner,  yet  his  nature  revolted.  He 
grasped  the  rifle  at  his  side  with  a  firm  grasp,  but  he 
made  no  movement  to  bring  it  to  a  level  with  his  enemy 
before  him. 

"  Verily,  I  will  defend  myself  if  he  leap  upon  me, " 
he  reflected;  r"but  I  cannot  bring  myself  to  strike  the 
first  blow." 

It  looked  very  much  as  if  he  who  struck  the  first 
blow  would  strike  the  only  one,  as  that  would  probably 
be  an  extinguisher,  and  he  was  not  exactly  confident 
that  he  would  stand  still,  even,  and  patiently  receive 
this  infliction. 

By  this  time  the  Indian  had  assumed  the  upright 
position,  and  stood  erect,  turning  his  head  from  side 
to  side,  disposed  cautiously  to  feel  every  inch  of  his 
way  as  he  advanced  into  the  wood,  where  he  knew  his 
hereditary  enemies  were  partly  sleeping  and  partly 
standing  guard. 

As  he  stood  with  his  whole  figure  outlined,  he  dis- 


THE  RED  PLUME 

covered  a  form  of  peerless  symmetry,  and  a  man  who 
would  make  a  most  desperate  antagonist  in  a  hand-to- 
hand  encounter.  Indeed,  the  iron-limbed  scout  would 
have  carefully  measured  such  a  foe  before  grappling 
with  him. 

But  it  was  not  fear  that  held  Fielding  motionless. 
It  was  the  teachings  of  his  life,  which  would  not  allow 
him  to  advance  to  the  assault  of  the  savage  even  though 
he  knew  he  was  coming  with  murder  in  his  heart. 

Several  times  he  was  upon  the  point  of  signalling 
to  Jud  to  come  to  the  scene ;  but  cautiously  as  he  might 
make  the  call,  there  would  be  no  concealing  it  from  the 
ears  of  the  Sioux,  who  Was  evidently  listening  for  just 
such  a  warning  from  whomsoever  might  be  stationed 
nearest  him. 

Then  Fielding  was  momentarily  expecting  the  com- 
ing of  the  scout.  Had  the  latter  indeed  proceeded  to 
the  upper  part  of  the  island,  as  he  intended  when  he 
first  left  Muggins,  he  would  have  reached  this  spot  at 
the  very  moment  the  Indian  displayed  himself. 

But  the  savage  having  waited  several  minutes,  began 
moving  forward,  keeping  close  to  the  shore,  however, 
and  occasionally  sinking  down,  so  that  for  a  short  time 
he  was  lost  entirely  to  view. 

Great  as  was  the  repugnance  of  Fielding  to  actual 
war,  he  could  not  consent  to  allow  this  miscreant  to 
approach  the  sleeping  ones  in  the  centre  of  the  wood, 
and  he  therefore  began  walking  along  parallel  with  the 


THE  RED  PLUME 


239 


Indian,  and  keeping  himself  between  him  and  the 
camp. 

The  extreme  caution  with  which  the  Sioux  stole  his 
way  along  the  shore,  made  it  quite  an  easy  task  to 
maintain  an  equal  pace  with  him,  and  to  interpose 
against  any  sudden  advance  upon  the  part  of  the  sav- 
age. 

Half  the  length  of  the  island  was  passed,  when  the 
savage  suddenly  vanished  from  sight.  Fielding  waited 
a  moment  for  him  to  reappear,  but  seeing  nothing  of 
him,  he  supposed  he  had  gone  further  down  before  ris- 
ing to  the  upright  position,  and  he  therefore  moved  a 
rod  or  so  down  himself. 

But  still  the  Sioux  remained  invisible,  and  fearful  of 
being  outwitted,  the  Friend  hastily  stepped  to  the  edge 
of  the  river,  reaching  it  just  in  time  to  catch  a  glimpse 
of  the  head  of  the  Indian,  as  he  swam  swiftly  toward 
the  main  land. 

At  the  same  moment,  a  rustling  behind  him  caught 
his  ear,  and  turning  his  head  he  saw  old  Jud  in  the  act 
of  raising  his  rifle. 

"  Hold ! "  said  Fielding,  as  he  pushed  the  barrel 
aside ;  "  he  has  harmed  no  one — why  harm  him  ?  " 

The  hunter  lowered  his  piece  with  a  laugh. 

"  Ef  any  other  man  but  you  done  that  I'd  shoot  him ; 
but  you're  a  plucky  dog,  if  you  are  a  Quaker.  You 
proved  that  last  night ;  but  my  principles  is,  whenever 
you  see  a  redskin,  shoot  him." 

"And  therein  has  great  evil  been  done  the  red  man, 


240  THE  RED  PLUME 

friend  Jubal ;  for  such  a  course  must  frequently  strike 
the  innocent  as  well  as  the  guilty." 

"  I  don't  believe  there  be  any  such  things  as  innocent 
Ingins,"  doggedly  returned  the  scout;  "  they  may  put 
it  on  afore  your  face,  but  they  will  stab  you  to  the  heart 
when  your  back  is  turned." 

"  What  thinkest  thou  of  Red  Plume?  " 

This  was  an  argumentum  ad  hominem,  and  took  the 
hunter  all  aback  for  a  moment. 

"  I  look  upon  him  as  a  white  man  anyway." 

"Ah !  friend  Jubal,  thou  canst  not  get  over  the  diffi- 
culty in  that  way ;  Red  Plume  is  as  much  an  Indian  as 
is  he  who  just  now  fled  the  island,  yet  one  is  thy  friend, 
and  the  other  thine  enemy." 

"And  you  wouldn't  let  me  hurt  either  one  of  'em." 

"  Because  it  was  not  necessary." 

"  Suppose  you  should  see  him  leanin'  over — wal, 
say  Edith  Prescott — with  his  tomahawk  raised  ready 
to  strike,  and  you  stood  as  you  do,  with  your  loaded 
rifle  in  your  hand — what  then  ?  " 

"  I  pray  thee,  Jubal,  not  to  force  me  to  answer.  I 
am  a  weak,  erring  man,  and  the  voice  of  conscience  is 
not  followed  as  frequently  as  it  should  be." 

The  scout  laughed  again,  for  ft  was  evident  he  was 
pleased  with  the  Quaker,  who  was  indeed  a  noble  and 
courageous  young  man. 

"Ah !  you'll  do,"  he  exclaimed,  slapping  him  on  the 
shoulder ;  "  I  ain't  afeard  to  trust  you  alone.  I  think 
you  would  be  apt  to  strike  rather  powerful  like,  if  some 


THE  RED  PLUME  241 

of  the  varmints  should  press  you  agin  the  wall.  But 
tell  me  where  you  first  seed  this  redskin  that  you  love 
so  much." 

Fielding  related  what  is  already  known  to  our  read- 
ers, Jud  listening  attentively  in  the  meantime,  and  smil- 
ing in  his  quiet  way,  when  the  Friend  told  how  he  had 
managed  to  keep  between  the  party  and  the  savage. 

"  Lest  the  heathen  should  steal  upon  them  un- 
awares." 

"  Ef  you  don't  want  to  go  into  the  scalping  busi- 
ness," said  Jud,  "  just  whistle  to  me,  and  I'll  take  it  off 
your  hands." 

Going  to  the  upper  end  of  the  island  where  he  had 
hid  his  canoe,  the  scout  entered  it,  and  paddled  close 
along  shore  in  the  direction  of  the  point  where  Pipkins 
had  been  stationed  as  a  sentinel. 

His  intention  was  to  give  the  young  man  a  thorough 
test  of  his  watchfulness,  and  in  case  he  failed,  as  he 
expected  he  would  do,  he  would  withdraw  him  and  as- 
sume his  place  himself,  first  calling  upon  Red  Plume  to 
take  upon  himself  the  office  of  general  superintendent. 

The  truth  was,  Jud  began  to  feel  that  matters  were 
getting  too  serious  to  permit  any  trifling. 

The  water  directly  in  front  of  Pipkins  was  quite 
deep,  and  the  hunter  purposely  made  quite  a  plashing 
with  his  paddle. 

Not  a  little  surprised,  therefore,  was  he,  when  he  saw 
a  man  standing  upright  with  his  rifle  in  hand,  who 
called  out, 


THE  RED  PLUME 

"Who  goes  there?" 

The  hunter  made  no  reply,  but  continued  moving 
slowly  along,  quite  surprised  at  the  watchfulness  of  the 
young  exquisite. 

"  Give  the  countersign — hello !  you  came  near  get- 
ting shot,"  laughed  Pipkins,  as  he  recognized  his 
friend. 

Jud  complimented  him  on  his  vigilance,  and  instruct- 
ing him  to  keep  it  up,  he  left  his  canoe  secured  against 
the  bank,  and  crossed  the  island  to  sit  awhile  with  Pres- 
cott. 

"  I  think  I  have  risen  above  the  boiling  point  in  the 
thermometer  of  Jud's  estimation,"  remarked  Pipkins, 
when  he  found  himself  alone  again.  "  I  have  demon- 
strated my  watchfulness  beyond  all  dispute." 

As  a  preventive  against  drowsiness,  which  seemed 
constantly  creeping  upon  him,  he  had  cleared  away  a 
small  path,  back  and  forth  which  he  was  walking  at  the 
moment  he  discovered  the  boat  and  its  occupant. 

He  now  kept  this  up  for  some  time,  but  although  he 
had  his  meerschaum  to  smoke,  he  still  found  it  rather 
monotonous  work,  and  again  sat  down  upon  the 
ground. 

"All  it  wants  is  will,"  he  reflected ;  "  anybody  could 
keep  awake  a  week,  if  he  had  a  strong  enough  will; 
but  I  think  it  would  be  deuced  unpleasant.  I  am  going 
to  prove  it's  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to  sit  down 
on  the  ground  and  keep  a  faithful  guard  all  the  time." 

For  a  time  it  was  very  pleasant  (as  he  had  quite  ex- 


THE  RED  PLUME  243 

hausted  himself  from  so  much  walking),  to  sit  thus 
and  smoke  his  pipe ;  but  in  spite  of  the  Herculean  will 
upon  which  he  had  prided  himself,  he  became  sensible 
of  a  sleepy  feeling  gradually  stealing  over  him. 

"It  beats  thunder !  "  he  finally  exclaimed,  impa- 
tiently, as  he  made  a  desperate  effort  to  rouse  up.  "  I 
ought  to  sleep  a  month  before  I  undertake  this  busi- 
ness. Hello !  that's  queer !  " 

This  exclamation  was  caused  by  observing  that  the 
canoe  left  by  Jud  had  shifted  its  position,  and  was 
gradually  drifting  free.  Springing  forward,  he  ar- 
rested it  just  in  time  to  prevent  its  floating  away  alto- 
gether. 

"  It  must  be  that  the  river  is  rising,"  concluded  the 
sentinel,  as  he  replaced  it  in  position,  and  took  his  seat 
again. 

Everything  went  along  pleasantly  for  awhile,  the 
night  being  just  cool  enough  to  make  it  pleasant  to  sit 
in  the  shadow  of  the  wood. 

But  nothing  of  which  he  could  think  could  prevent 
the  insidious  approach  of  sleep,  and  he  was  relapsing 
into  unconsciousness  again,  when  he  was  aroused  by  a 
soft,  grating  noise  upon  the  sand,  and  he  looked  up  just 
in  time  to  see  the  canoe  slowly  sliding  off  the  shingle 
into  the  water. 

Pipkins  was  fairly  frightened,  and  he  stood  almost 
speechless  with  amazement. 

But  next  moment  a  doubt  entered  his  mind.  He 
could  not  be  certain  that  the  boat  had  changed  its  posi- 


244  THE  RED  PLUME 

tion  in  the  least,  nor  could  it  be  seen  to  stir  as  he  gazed 
wonderingly  at  it. 

"  Wonder  if  I  was  dreaming? — no,  I  couldn't  have 
been  dreaming,  as  I  wasn't  asleep.  I  must  have  im- 
agined it,  or  heard  something  else,  and  confused  them 
in  my  mind." 

A  footstep  caused  him  to  turn  his  head,  expecting  to 
see  a  wild  Indian  at  his  elbow,  but  to  his  delight  he  en- 
countered the  pleasant  face  of  Jud  Judkins,  the  scout. 

"  Well,  you  didn't  catch  me  asleep  this  time  ?  "  said 
Pipkins,  with  a  laugh. 

"  No ;  you'll  make  a  tol'ble  sentinel  after  a  little 
practice." 

"  How  much  practice  would  you  say?  " 

"  Wai,  some  thirty  or  forty  years ;  perhaps  not  quite 
so  long.  Anything  new  since  I  was  here?  " 

Pipkins  was  on  the  point  of  explaining  his  dilemma, 
but  he  was  fearful  of  the  ridicule  of  the  hunter,  so  he 
simply  asked  the  question : 

"  That  canoe  is  just  as  you  left  it,  isn't  it  ?  " 

The  scout  surveyed  it  a  moment,  and  then  answered : 

"  I  don't  notice  any  difference.  What  did  you  ax 
fur?" 

"  Oh,  nothing." 

Jud  eyed  him  sharply,  but  did  not  question  him  fur- 
ther; and  admonishing  him  not  to  relax  his  vigilance 
for  a  moment,  he  moved  away  again. 

It  was  now  quite  late  in  the  evening,  and  Red  Plume 
had  secured  several  hours  of  profound  rest,  enough,  as 


THE  RED  PLUME  245 

Jud  well  knew,  to  suffice  for  several  days;  so  he  felt 
no  hesitation  in  going  to  him  and  touching  his  shoul- 
der, the  Indian  awakening  on  the  instant. 

Only  a  word  or  two  was  exchanged,  when  old  Jud 
passed  on,  and  the  Indian  rose  to  his  feet. 

Left  alone  to  himself  once  more,  Pipkins  did  his  ut- 
most to  keep  his  senses  bright  and  keen ;  but  as  it  was 
now  near  midnight,  and  he  had  smoked  till  he  was 
tired,  and  had  nothing  further  with  which  to  amuse 
himself,  he  could  not  resist  the  somnolence  which 
speedily  came  upon  him. 

Ere  he  was  aware,  his  head  was  nodding  again,  and 
when  he  suddenly  aroused  himself,  it  was  just  in  time 
to  see  the  mysterious  canoe  slide  off  into  the  water,  and 
begin  moving  down  stream  with  the  current,  and  seem- 
ingly at  a  swifter  rate  than  the  river  could  have  carried 
it  itself. 

"  By  jingo!  if  that  don't  beat  everything!  "  he  ex- 
claimed, making  a  dash  at  it,  but  it  was  already  too  far 
to  be  reached  with  the  hand,  and  he  stepped  into  the 
water ;  but  the  rapidly  increasing  depth  warned  him  of 
his  danger,  and  he  hastily  withdrew. 

Still  the  boat  was  drifting  further  and  further  away, 
and  not  knowing  what  to  do,  the  remiss  sentinel  caught 
up  his  rifle,  and  began  following  it  along  the  shore,  not, 
as  yet,  deeming  it  best  (or,  in  fact,  not  thinking  of  it) 
to  signal  to  Jud  to  come  to  his  assistance. 

A  rod  or  so  was  passed  in  this  manner,  when  Pip- 
kins was  more  bewildered  than  ever  by  seeing  an  In- 


246  THE  RED  PLUME 

dian  step  into  the  water,  directly  in  front  of  him,  and 
begin  swimming  toward  the  stern  of  the  boat. 

"  I'll  be  blowed  if  I  don't  fetch  you! "  he  muttered, 
as  he  drew  his  piece  to  his  shoulder,  took  deliberate 
aim,  and  pulled  the  trigger. 

The  almost  noiseless  click  of  the  lock  warned  him 
that  something  was  the  matter,  and  then  the  sentinel 
suddenly  recollected. 

"'  Just  my  luck !  the  gun  ain't  loaded,  and  hasn't 
been  loaded  all  the  evening!  Ain't  I  been  in  a  fine 
condition  to  shoot  somebody  ?  " 

Whereupon  he  began  reloading  his  piece,  and  before 
it  was  half  done  nothing  more  could  be  seen  of  the  In- 
dian. 

Provided  Pipkins's  piece  had  been  loaded,  and  he 
had  taken  a  true  aim,  his  bullet  would  have  penetrated 
the  skull  of  the  friendly  Sioux,  Red  Plume. 

This  redskin  had  comprehended  the  stratagem  of 
their  enemies,  and  reached  the  shore  just  as  the  canoe 
came  abreast.  He  recognized  the  head  of  an  Indian 
in  the  water,  at  the  bow,  towing  it,  and  the  instant  the 
boat  shut  off  his  view,  he  noiselessly  entered  the  water, 
and  struck  out  for  it. 

With  the  skill  which  he  possessed  in  swimming,  a 
few  strokes  only  were  necessary  to  carry  him  over  the 
intervening  space,  and  reaching  up  his  hand,  he  allowed 
it  to  rest  upon  the  gunwale,  while  he  floated  with  the 

current. 

Red  Plume  could  tell  by  the  sensation  of  the  water 


THE  RED  PLUME  247 

against  his  limbs  and  body  that  they  were  not  merely 
drifting  with  the  stream,  but  that  the  redskin  at  the 
bow  was  towing  it  quite  vigorously.  This  was  also 
perceptible  by  a  peculiar  pulsation  of  the  boat  caused 
by  the  strokes  of  the  swimmer. 

It  was  not  a  part  of  the  plan  of  Red  Plume  to  allow 
himself  to  be  drawn  thus  unresistingly  into  the  snares 
of  the  Sioux,  who  would  be  delighted  at  gaining  such 
a  prize  as  he.  Pleasant  as  it  was  to  "  float  with  the 
current,"  such  a  course  could  only  result  in  death  to 
him ;  and  when  he  plunged  into  the  river,  and  started 
in  pursuit  of  the  runaway  boat,  it  was  with  the  inten- 
tion of  bringing  on  a  collision  with  the  thief  as  speedily 
as  could  be  done  with  safety  to  himself. 

It  was  not  probable  that  as  yet  the  pilot  of  the  canoe 
was  aware  of  the  passenger  he  had  in  tow,  so  that  the 
advantage  was  greatly  with  the  latter,  who  silently 
drew  his  knife  from  his  belt  and  placed  it  between  his 
teeth. 

He  was  on  the  point  of  moving  along  the  side  of  the 
boat  to  attack  his  foe,  when  the  acute  perception  of  Red 
Plume  told  him  that  the  savage  was  doing  the  same 
thing,  and  was  advancing  toward  him.  The  pulsating, 
onward  motion  of  the  canoe  had  ceased,  and  he  could 
detect  the  faintest  rustling  of  the  water  which  told  him 
of  the  exact  locality  of  his  enemy. 

When  only  a  foot  or  two  separated  them,  Red  Plume 
took  his  knife  in  his  right  hand,  and  awaited  the  ap- 
proach of  his  antagonist. 


248  THE  RED  PLUME 

At  this  instant,  the  feet  of  the  latter  struck  the  legs 
of  the  former,  and  immediately  after  his  head  came 
around  the  stern  of  the  canoe,  with  a  scared  look,  which 
showed  how  unprepared  he  was  for  such  a  meeting. 

Red  Plume  gave  him  no  time  to  recover  himself,  and 
in  less  time  than  we  have  taken  to  describe  the  meeting, 
the  thief  sank  under  the  water,  with  not  a  spark  of  life 
in  him. 

When  totally  lifeless,  he  was  caught  and  held  for  a 
moment  with  his  head  above  water.  This  was  done  in 
order  that  his  victor  might  scan  his  face  and  features, 
and  ascertain  whether  it  was  possible  to  assume  his 
place  during  the  next  hour  or  two. 

Concluding  that  the  risk  might  be  taken,  he  deliber- 
ately scalped  the  savage,  and  then  allowed  him  to  dis- 
appear in  the  river,  while  he  began  carefully  re- 
connoitering  his  situation. 

Scanning  both  sides  of  the  river,  he  could  see  noth- 
ing but  the  dark  shores,  and  the  solemn  trees,  all  silent 
as  the  tomb.  No  star-like  point  of  light  showed  where 
the  camp-fire  was  burning,  nor  did  any  of  those  numer- 
ous bird-like  signals  betray  the  presence  of  the  prowl- 
ing scout. 

Jud  had  told  him  of  the  abstraction  of  the  larger 
boat,  but  had  not  said  to  which  side  of  the  river  it 
had  been  taken,  so  that  it  was  left  almost  entirely  to 
conjecture. 

After  carefully  cogitating  upon  the  matter,  he  con- 
cluded that  it  was  the  right  shore,  and  his  shrewdness 


THE  RED  PLUME  249 

was  further  proved  by  his  hitting  almost  the  precise 
spot  where  it  was  nestling  at  that  very  moment. 

Having  fixed  his  own  landmarks,  Red  Plume  began 
working  the  boat  in  toward  land,  and  soon  came  so 
near  that  he  discerned  several  dark  forms  moving 
stealthily  along  the  banks. 

At  the  same  moment  one  or  two  low  whistles  were 
exchanged,  doubtless  intended  to  guide  the  one  who 
had  the  canoe. 

All  this  proved  that  the  return  of  the  Sioux  was  ex- 
pected, and  that  Red  Plume  had  a  delicately  danger- 
ous task  before  him  of  personating  the  individual 
whom  he  had  slain,  as  in  all  probability  he  would  be 
subjected  to  a  rigid  examination,  and,  in  case  of  sus- 
picion, to  a  searching  scrutiny  by  those  who  were 
awaiting  him  along  the  shore. 

Still,  he  did  not  hesitate,  and  a  moment  later,  as  his 
feet  touched  bottom,  he  walked  boldly  out  among  the 
Indians,  where,  for  the  present,  we  must  leave  him. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

THE  VALE  OF  SHADOWS 

WHILE  the  events  just  narrated  were  taking  place, 
an  equally  interesting  incident  engaged  the  attention  of 
the  sentinels  upon  the  island. 

At  the  very  moment  that  Red  Plume  landed,  Field- 
ing, who  still  remained  at  his  station  upon  the  northern 
extremity,  caught  sight  of  a  canoe  that  put  out  from 
the  other  shore,  and  headed  straight  toward  the  point 
where  he  was  standing. 

The  moment  he  made  sure  that  it  was  aiming  to- 
ward him,  he  foresaw  the  probability  of  an  encounter, 
and,  as  instructed,  signalled  to  Jud,  who  was  almost 
immediately  at  his  side. 

"  I  seed  it,  "  he  remarked,  as  he  came  up.  "Ef  this 
is  'nother  trick  of  the  varmints,  we'll  see  if  we  can't 
smash  it  at  the  beginning.  " 

"  What  dost  thou  make  of  it?  " 

"  There's  an  Injin  with  the  paddle. " 

"  Dost  thou  see  any  more  ?  " 

"  There  may  be  more  hid  in  the  bottom.  " 

"  Verily,  he  does  not  comprehend  his  danger, "  re- 
marked Fielding,  with  some  anxiety,  as  the  Indian 
Continued  unhesitatingly  on  his  course. 

250 


THE  RED  PLUME 


3Sg 


"  If  you  wish  to  warn  him,  you  can  do  so.  " 

This  \vas  uttered  more  in  jest  than  in  earnest,  but 
the  Friend  instantly  took  advantage  of  the  permission, 
and  stepping  out  in  full  view,  he  raised  his  hand  and 
called  out: 

"  I  admonish  thee  to  take  heed  where  thou  art  com- 
ing, for  thou  art  running  into  great  danger!  " 

To  the  surprise  of  both  the  whites,  the  Indian  only 
paddled  the  harder,  and  the  next  moment  his  canoe 
touched  the  shingle  at  their  feet. 

It  was  then  seen  that  he  was  the  only  occupant  of  the 
boat,  and  as  the  little  weazen-faced  redskin  stepped  out, 
with  his  wrinkled  face  expanded  into  a  vast  grin,  Jud 
recognized  him  as  the  Otter,  the  companion,  as  will 
be  remembered,  of  Colonel  Havens,  in  ascending  and 
descending  this  same  stream,  the  second  and  first  day 
preceding. 

"  He  !  he  !  laughed  the  singular  individual,  as  he  ad- 
vanced and  took  the  proffered  hand  of  the  scout  ;"  ain't 
you  glad  to  see  me  ?  " 

"  That  I  am,  "  replied  Jud,  with  great  cordiality. 

"  I  thought  so,  or  I  wouldn't  have  come.  " 

"  And  I  am  right  glad  to  welcome  thee,  "  added 
Fielding,  as  he  also  offered  his  hand,  "  for  I  observe 
thou  art  a  friend." 

"  Where  did  you  come  from  ?  "  asked  Jud. 

"  Fort  Grandon.  " 

"Direct?" 


THE  RED  PLUME 

"  Yes ;  I  haven't  paused  a  minute  on  the  way — came 
very  fast. " 

"  Thou  must  have  done  that,  indeed,  if  thou  hast 
carried  Colonel  Havens  to  his  fort  and  returned  af- 
terward. " 

"  That's  what  I  done,"  returned  the  Otter,  with 
some  pride. 

"  What  made  you  come  back?  " 

"  Colonel  Havens  sent  me." 

"He  did!    What  for?" 

"  I  have  a  letter.  " 

With  which  the  weazen-faced  redskin  drew  a  mis- 
sive from  beneath  his  hunting-shirt,  and  handed  it  to 
Jud.  The  latter  turned  it  over  several  times  in  his 
hand,  and  then  passed  it  to  Fielding,  with  the  remark. 

"  It's  been  so  long  since  I  larned  to  read,  that  I've 
forgot  all  that  I  knowed  in  that  line,  and  never  knowed 
much  to  forget.  " 

Fielding  examined  the  superscription,  the  moon- 
light being  just  sufficient  for  him  to  distinguish,  writ- 
ten with  a  lead  pencil  in  a  bold  hand : 

"LILLIAN  PRESCOTT, 

"Sent  by  the  Otter,  an  Indian  Runner." 

"  She  is  with  you  ?  "  inquired  the  Indian. 

"  Yes ;  she  is  asleep,  by  the  camp-fire  yonder.  If 
thou  wishest,  I  will  hand  it  to  her  in  the  morning.  " 

"  That's  just  what  I  want ;  and  now  I  must  go.  " 
.     "  Why  such  a  hurry  ?  " 


THE  RED  PLUME  253 

"  I  am  expected  at  the  fort." 

"  Perchance  there  may  be  an  answer  expected  to 
this, "  said  the  Quaker. 

"  I  was  not  told  to  wait  for  any,  but  was  only  asked 
to  see  that  she  got  it,  and  then  to  make  all  haste  back 
again,  unless  I  was  wanted  here.  " 

"  Haven't  you  seen  anything  of  redskins  ?  "  asked 
Jud. 

The  Otter  started,  as  if  he  had  forgotten  this  alto- 
gether. 

"  They  are  all  around  you — on  both  shores — every- 
where ! " 

As  he  spoke,  he  swept  his  hand  over  his  head  to 
signify  that  each  shore  was  swarming  with  enemies. 

"  How  did  you  get  through  with  your  canoe  ?  " 

"  I  come  up  the  river  till  I  see  sign — then  I  put  my 
canoe  on  my  head  and  went  through  the  wood  till  I 
see  the  island — then  I  paddled  out  to  it.  " 

"  How  didst  thou  know  that  we  were  here  ?  " 

'*  So  many  of  the  Indians  along  shore — I  knew  that 
somebody  was  out  here,  and  who  so  likely  as  you  ?  " 

"  Be  careful  they  do  not  take  thee  prisoner  when 
thou  seekest  to  return.  " 

The  Otter  laughed  his  he!  he!  to  signify  that  such  a 
caution  was  unnecessary  to  one  of  his  age  and  exper- 
ience. 

It  will  be  understood,  however,  that  he  had  greater 
need  of  prudence  than  Red  Plume,  for  he  was  so  short 
and  peculiar  in  his  appearance,  that  he  could  not  but 


354  THE  RED  PLUME 

be  as  readily  identified  by  his  enemies  as  if  he  were 
a  white  man. 

But  Red  Plume,  in  build,  dress,  appearance  and  man- 
ner, was  the  same  as  his  tribe,  and  where  his  features 
were  not  liable  to  too  close  a  scrutiny,  he  could  easily 
escape  detection.  He  had  done  this  so  repeatedly  that 
it  may  be  said  he  had  scarcely  any  fear  on  the  present 
occasion. 

Comparatively  little  information  was  gained  from 
Otter,  and  shortly  after  he  took  his  departure,  aiming 
for  the  same  shore  whence  he  came. 

He  had  reached  a  point  about  half  way  distant,  when 
the  report  of  a  gun  was  heard,  and  the  bullet  was  seen 
to  skip  over  the  water  about  twenty  feet  to  the  right 
of  the  canoe. 

"What  you  shooting  at?"  demanded  Jud,  as  he 
hastened  to  the  side  of  Pipkins,  who  was  rapidly  re- 
loading. 

"  At  that  confounded  Indian,  and  if  I  can  get  loaded 
soon  enough,  I'll  pepper  him,  sure.  " 

"  You  mought  fire  all  night  without  scaring  him, 
but  you  may  as  well  save  your  powder,  for  he's  a 
friend. " 

"  But  he's  running  off  with  another  canoe.  What 
a  wonderful  forte  those  dusky  scamps  have  for  steal- 
ing boats. " 

"  That's  his  own  boat.  " 

"Ah!  that  makes  a  difference.  If  he'll  only  come 
Back,  I'll  apologize  for  my  rudeness. " 


THE  RED  PLUME  255 

"  No  need  of  that,  for  I  don't  believe  he  knowed  you 
war  shootin'  at  him.  " 

"  Who  is  he,  anyway?  " 

Jud  explained  the  character  of  the  savage,  greatly  to 
the  surprise  of  Pipkins,  who  expressed  a  desire  to  cul- 
tivate the  acquaintance  of  the  Otter. 

In  making  his  tour  of  the  island,  and  explaining  to 
the  different  sentinels  what  had  taken  place,  the  scout 
finally  came  back  to  where  Fielding  was  awaiting  him. 

"  Wilt  thou  take  my  place  for  awhile,  while  I  go  to 
the  camp-fire?"  he  asked. 

Jud  willingly  consented,  and  the  Quaker  made  his 
way  to  the  centre  of  the  wood,  where  the  camp-fire 
was  burning  quite  low.  He  was  hopeful  that  the  re- 
port of  Pipkin's  gun  had  aroused  Lillian,  so  that  he 
might  deliver  the  letter  to  her  at  once. 

He  was  not  disappointed,  for  as  he  came  up,  he  saw 
the  two  sisters  sitting  by  the  fire,  Edith  occupying 
herself  with  stirring  the  embers,  so  as  to  make  the 
light  more  cheerful.  They  looked  around  in  some  sur- 
prise as  he  came  up. 

"  Canst  thou  not  sleep  in  quietness  ?  "  asked  Field- 
ing, as  he  halted  by  their  side. 

"  It  seems  that  with  what  we  had  yesterday,  we 
don't  require  so  much,  "  replied  Edith,  with  a  blush 
and  a  smile. 

"  I  trust  I  am  the  bearer  of  good  news  to  thee, " 
said  the  Friend,  after  a  moment's  pause ;  "  an  Indian 
runner  brought  this  letter  to  the  island  a  short  time 


•56  THE  RED  PLUMB 

ago,  with  the  request  that  I  should  deliver  it  to  thee.  " 
With  which  he  handed  the  missive  to  the  astounded 
Lillian.  Then,  with  a  delicacy  which  did  him  credit,  he 
bade  them  good  evening  and  withdrew,  that  they  might 
not  be  embarrassed  by  his  presence. 

As  he  moved  away,  Edith  looked  after  him  with  a 
longing,  earnest  gaze  and  Fielding,  turning  his  head  at 
the  same  moment,  saw  it  as  reflected  by  the  camp-fire, 
and  he  knew  in  his  heart  that  she  loved  him. 

With  a  trembling  hand  Lillian  Prescott  broke  the 
seal  of  the  letter,  and  by  the  fire-light  she  read  the 
following : 

FORT  GRANDON,  August  20,  1862. 

DEAREST  LILLIAN: 

Forgive  my  manner  of  addressing  you.  I  know  it 
will  be  displeasing,  but  I  cannot  forbear  doing  so  for 
the  last  time. 

I  have  been  at  the  fort  only  a  few  minutes,  and  my 
faithful  attendant,  the  Otter,  has  consented  to  carry 
the  letter  to  you,  so  that  I  cannot  forbear  taking  the 
opportunity  of  saying  a  few  parting  words. 

I  had  hopes  of  being  able  to  march  to  the  assistance 
of  yourself  and  friends  as  soon  as  I  returned;  but  I 
found  orders  awaiting  which  commanded  me  to  go  to 
a  point  a  hundred  miles  distant,  to  take  charge  of  a 
regiment  of  cavalry  that  are  ready  to  proceed  to  the 
seat  of  war.  I  shall  have  an  escort,  so  that  no  personal 
risk  will  be  incurred. 

I  did  everything  I  could  to  get  permission  to  send 
help  to  you,  but  am  utterly  powerless.  The  Otter  has 
permission  to  remain  with  your  company,  if  you  desire 
it.  There  is  such  a  panic  through  the  northern  and 


THE  RED  PLUME  257 

western  parts  of  Minnesota,  and  such  an  urgent  call 
from  the  Government  for  troops,  that  my  superior 
officer,  who  has  just  returned,  peremptorily  refuses  to 
allow  a  single  one  to  go  to  the  relief  of  the  hundreds 
who  are  perishing  for  it. 

I  pray  that  you  and  your  friends  may  safely  reach 
the  fort,  which  is  the  nearest  point  that  offers  any 
safety ;  but  if  Heaven  so  wills  that  you  shall  not,  do  not 
forget  that  you  have  the  whole,  fervent,  undivided 
love  of  my  heart. 

I  thought,  when  you  treated  me  so  cavalierly,  that 
my  pride  would  sustain  me  in  forgetting  you;  but  I 
find  my  mistake.  I  cannot  drive  you  from  my  thoughts. 
Even  during  the  busy  minutes  when  I  am  preparing  to 
leave,  and  I  am  compelled  to  answer  questions  and  give 
orders  innumerable,  you  are  not  absent  for  an  instant 
from  my  thoughts. 

I  shall  carry  your  image  to  my  grave.  Life,  which 
was  so  radiant  to  me  but  a  short  time  ago,  is  forbidding 
and  dark.  Little  care  I  whether  I  live  or  die,  for  that 
which  made  life  so  sweet,  that  which  fired  my  ambition, 
that  which  thrilled  me  with  a  pleasure  never  before 
known — all  these  have  been  taken  away.  They  can 
never  be  replaced,  and  what  is  there  to  bind  me  to 
earth? 

I  cannot  blame  you  for  selecting  another.  You  have 
known  him  long  enough,  perhaps,  to  discover  virtues  in 
him  which  I,  in  my  blind  jealousy,  failed  to  see.  The 
most  that  I  can  wish  you  is  that  he  will  prove  as  loving 
and  devoted  as  I  know  I  should  have  been,  had  fortune 
favored  me,  as  I  once  foolishly  believed  she  would.  I 
only  hope  he  is  more  worthy  of  you  than  he  seemed 
to  me. 

If  this  parting  had  only  occurred  months  ago — if  I 
could  blot  from  my  remembrance  the  sails  we  have  had 


258  THE  RED  PLUME 

delicious  hours  passed  in  your  society,  the  looks  that  I 
believed  were  something  more  than  mere  looks — in- 
deed, if  I  could  turn  my  back  upon  the  past,  and  close 
my  eyes  to  the  thousand-and-one  little  things  that  have 
only  fanned  the  flame  that  has  been  steadily  growing 
in  my  heart  for  months,  then  could  I  find  happiness  in 
the  future,  but  not  otherwise. 

I  leave  you,  carrying  no  harsh  remembrance.  If 
your  own  heart  does  not  accuse  you,  I  shall  not. 

Had  you  but  called  me,  as  I  was  leaving  you,  I  would 
have  rushed  back  to  you.  Disgrace,  dishonor — all 
would  have  been  unheeded  had  you  but  given  your 
commands. 

But  not  a  word.  I  listened  intently,  but  heard  notn- 
ing.  I  looked  back,  but  you  made  no  sign.  Your 
heart  was  unrelenting ;  in  truth,  it  never  throbbed  with 
kindness  for  me. 

Then  why  can  I  blame  you?  I  cannot.  Good-by. 
God  be  with  you,  and  keep  you,  and  make  you  happy ; 
and  may  you  forget  that  your  path  was  ever  crossed 
by  so  unworthy  an  object  as 

GEORGE  HAVENS. 

P.  S. — Please  hand  the  inclosed  to  Captain  Swart- 
Clausen.  G.  H. 


CHAPTER  XXV 
RED  PLUME'S  PRISONER 

A  FEW  minutes  before  reaching  shore,  Red  Plume 
drew  himself  up  in  the  canoe,  and  landed  directly  at  the 
feet  of  those  who  were  awaiting  him. 

"Owaton  is  a  brave  warrior,"  remarked  one,  as  he 
stepped  ashore,  meaning  to  compliment  the  supposed 
Indian  for  his  exploit  in  stealing  the  boat.  Compre- 
hending his  intention,  Red  Plume  answered : 

"  The  Yengese  fired  their  guns  at  Owaton,  but  they 
hurt  him  not.  He  went  under  the  water,  and  the  bul- 
lets passed  over  his  head." 

"  Great  is  Owaton.  He  shall  be  a  chief  of  the 
Sioux." 

As  a  matter  of  course,  the  supposed  Owaton  accepted 
his  honors  meekly,  and  made  no  reply  to  this  high 
compliment. 

"Are  the  Yengese  asleep  ? "  inquired  the  same 
Speaker. 

"  Some  of  them  sleep  and  some  do  not.  Red  Plume, 
the  hunter  Old  Jud,  and  the  Otter  of  the  Cheyennes, 
and  many  others  are  awake." 

This  was  a  piece  of  strategy  upon  the  part  of  the 
Sioux,  as  he  could  have  no  suspicion  that  the  runner 

259 


260  THE  RED  PLUME 

was  upon  the  island  that  very  moment.  He  supposed 
he  was  somewhere  in  the  neighborhod,  and  concluded 
it  advisable,  therefore,  to  locate  him  among  his  friends. 

It  will  be  seen,  also,  that  this  observation  of 
"Owaton"  directly  witnessed  his  own  skill  and  bravery, 
inasmuch  as  he  had  succeeded  in  the  face  of  all  these 
obstacles,  where  one  of  the  others  had  failed  but  a  short 
time  before. 

"  Have  they  guns  and  powder?  " 

"  They  have  guns  and  powder ;  they  catch  fish  from 
the  river,  and  they  drink  its  water." 

It  will  be  observed  that  Red  Plume  was  doing  his 
utmost  to  put  the  situation  of  the  fugitives  in  the 
strongest  light,  his  object  being  to  discourage  the 
Sioux,  and  induce  them  to  turn  their  attention  else- 
where— an  achievement  which,  we  may  as  well  state, 
he  considered  next  to  impossible. 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on,  he  was  stand- 
ing among  a  half-dozen  of  his  race,  in  the  shadow  of 
the  trees,  where  their  forms  were  only  dimly  outlined, 
and  where  there  was  scarcely  a  possibility  of  his  iden- 
tity being  suspected. 

In  truth  the  mere  landing  of  Red  Plume  in  the 
manner  narrated  cannot  be  regarded  as  much  of  an  ex- 
ploit. Being  of  the  same  tribe  as  his  enemies,  and 
having  spent  the  first  thirty  years  of  his  life  as  one  of 
their  warriors  who  was  always  noted  as  a  daringly 
fierce  enemy  of  the  whites,  there  was  scarcely  a  pos- 


THE  RED  PLUME  261 

sibility  of  his  betraying  himself,  unless  by  some  unfore- 
seen accident. 

A  few  minutes  more  were  occupied  in  asking  and 
answering  questions,  the  scout,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
giving  a  glowing  account  of  the  strength,  numbers  and 
watchfulness  of  the  whites.  Finally,  the  others  began 
walking  away  in  the  forest,  Red  Plume  accompanying 
them. 

Several  rods  were  passed  when  he  caught  sight  of  a 
large  camp-fire,  around  which  at  least  twenty  Indians 
were  gathered,  while  he  knew  that  fully  as  many  more 
were  moving  around  in  the  woods  and  along  the  river. 

Here  an  alarming  surprise  awaited  the  friendly  In- 
dian. With  all  his  shrewdness,  he  scarcely  suspected 
the  startling  discovery  he  made — that  their  enemies 

were  the  very  Sioux  who  had  so  narrowly  escaped  de- 
stroying them  upon  the  lake. 

Aye,  Red  Plume  was  thoroughly  astounded.  He 
had  held  a  vague  fear  of  such  a  danger  as  this,  and  it 
will  be  remembered  that  he  urged  Jud  not  to  make 
more  than  a  temporary  halt  upon  the  island;  but  he 
scarcely  believed  that  those  who  were  so  thoroughly 
intoxicated  in  the  morning  could  be  in  a  condition  to 
take  the  war-path  in  the  evening. 

But  it  was  nevertheless  true ;  and  the  same  ferocious 
aborigines  who  had  so  desperately  sought  their  de- 
struction on  the  shore  of  Sleeping  Water  had  environed 
them  again,  when  they  had  paused  to  rest  upon  the 
island. 


26a  THE  RED  PLUME 

Some  cautious  reconnoitring,  united  with  conjectures 
upon  his  part,  enabled  Red  Plume  to  gain  the  facts 
in  the  case.  The  lake  party  had  probably  used  up  their 
whiskey  early  in  the  forenoon,  and  the  effects  had  worn 
off  toward  night  of  the  same  day,  so  as  to  allow  them 
to  comprehend  their  own  situation.  They  could  not 
avoid  knowing  that  the  fugitives  had  descended  Cres- 
cent River,  and  they  therefore  started  in  pursuit  some- 
where near  nightfall,  expecting  to  come  up  with  them 
before  morning. 

The  probabilities  are  that  they  would  have  passed 
the  island  without  suspecting  the  presence  of  their  prey 
upon  it,  had  they  not  encountered  a  dozen  more  of  their 
tribe,  who  had  made  the  discovery,  and  were  carefully 
watching  their  movements. 

The  larger  company  halted,  and  the  two  united,  both 
fully  resolved  that  not  a  white  should  ever  leave  the 
spot  alive.  Their  manoeuvres  during  the  night  had 
been  made  for  the  purpose  of  weakening  the  fugitives, 
and  destroying  their  chances  of  escape  by  withdrawing 
their  canoes,  and  also  with  the  object  of  learning  their 
strength,  and  whether  they  were  keeping  up  any  sort 
of  watch  against  attack. 

Red  Plume  was  careful  to  keep  beyond  the  circle  of 
the  light  thrown  out  by  the  camp-fire,  for  it  is  almost 
certain  he  would  have  been  identified,  not  only  by  the 
warriors  themselves,  but  by  the  negro  Lige,  who  was 
lounging  on  the  ground,  smoking  a  pipe,  and  conduct- 
ing himself  generally  as  though  he  was  among  friends. 


THE  RED  PLUMB  163 

In  the  confusion  of  passing  to  and  fro,  it  was  no  dif- 
ficult matter  for  the  Indian  to  withdraw  from  the  others 
without  attracting  suspicion.  He  sauntered  carelessly 
forward,  until  certain  that  he  was  beyond  the  scrutiny 
of  all,  when  he  hastened  to  where  he  had  left  his  canoe. 

The  tiny  vessel  lay  against  the  bank,  just  as  he  had 
left  it,  and  a  rod  or  so  below  was  the  larger  boat,  so  es- 
sential to  the  escape  of  the  fugitives  from  the  island. 

Stepping  softly  into  the  birchen  canoe,  he  moved  it 
noiselessly  down  stream  until  he  reached  the  larger  one ; 
but,  while  on  the  very  point  of  unfastening  this,  he  ob- 
served that  one  of  the  Sioux  was  sitting  in  it,  so 
motionless  that  he  suspected  he  was  asleep. 

Here  was  a  dilemma,  and  Red  Plume  paused  a 
moment,  undecided  what  to  do.  He  had  no  doubt  of 
his  ability  to  extinguish  the  sentinel,  but  the  ultimate 
consequences  of  an  encounter  with  him  were  pretty 
certain  to  be  the  entire  discomfiture  of  his  scheme. 

While  debating  this  point  with  himself  the  sentinel 
spoke. 

"  What  seeks  Owaton?  " 

"  Is  my  brother  here  ?  "  was  the  Yankee-like  answer. 

"  He  guards  the  boat  against  the  Yengese  and  the 
Red  Plume." 

This  then  was  the  object  of  the  savage  in  sitting  so 
motionless  in  the  larger  boat.  There  was  a  well 
grounded  fear  that  either  the  distinguished  friendly 
Indian  or  old  Jud  would  make  an  attempt  to  re-capture 


264  THE  RED  PLUME 

the  boat,  and  the  sentinel  was  stationed  here  to  prevent 
just  such  a  coup  d'etat. 

Red  Plume  now  resorted  to  every  artifice  possible  to 
induce  the  Sioux  to  leave  his  station.  He  hinted  that 
there  was  an  important  council  at  the  camp-fire,  at 
which  his  presence  was  needed,  and  offered  to  take  his 
place  until  he  chose  to  return;  but  the  faithful  guard 
steadily  refused,  and  fearing  that  he  had  created  some 
suspicion  in  his  mind,  the  scout  withdrew,  as  if  he  were 
going  to  rejoin  the  others. 

It  was  with  something  like  chagrin  that  he  sauntered 
through  the  woods,  in  the  direction  of  the  camp-fire, 
for  he  found  himself  foiled  on  the  very  threshold  of  his 
scheme. 

There  seemed  but  one  way  of  gaining  possession  of 
the  coveted  boats,  and  that  was  by  stealing  upon  and 
slaying  the  sentinel;  and  much  as  he  disliked  this 
course,  he  resolved  that  if  his  second  attempt  failed,  he 
would  do  it  with  all  the  stealth  and  vim  at  his  com- 
mand. 

There  was  the  additional  incentive  of  the  short 
period  now  intervening  between  the  present  time 
and  morning.  The  coming  of  daylight  would  post- 
pone any  such  attempt,  and  in  all  probability  would  de- 
feat them  entirely,  as  it  was  not  likely  that  the  coming 
night  would  see  matters  in  the  same  position  as  they 
were  now. 

Impressed  with  these  facts,  Red  Plume  returned  to 
the  river  side  again  sooner  than  he  had  at  first  intended 


THE  RED  PLUME  265 

Peering  cautiously  through  the  wood,  he  saw  the 
Sioux  sitting  precisely  as  he  had  left  him,  except  that 
his  head  was  bowed  lower,  the  chin  apparently  resting 
upon  the  breast. 

A  thrill  of  hope  shot  through  the  breast  of  Red 
Plume  at  the  thought  that  perhaps  he  was  asleep. 

Watching  him  as  intently  as  he  could  in  the  gloom 
for  a  moment,  the  scout  reached  out  his  hand  and  broke 
a  twig.  It  parted  with  a  quick,  sharp  snap,  but  never 
once  did  the  Indian  stir  his  head. 

The  sentinel  was  asleep. 

Satisfied  of  this,  Red  Plume  lost  not  another  mo- 
ment. He  stepped  as  noiselessly  down  into  the  water 
as  a  veritable  phantom,  and  approached  the  canoe, 
which  he  had  re-fastened  a  short  time  before. 

This  was  easily  loosened,  and  then  allowing  the  bow 
softly  to  touch  his  shoulders,  so  as  to  prevent  its  pass- 
ing below  him  and  striking  the  larger  boat,  he  moved 
toward  the  latter,  scarcely  faster  then  the  almost  sta- 
tionary current. 

He  had  now  approached  the  most  delicately  danger- 
ous part  of  his  task,  that  of  releasing  the  larger  boat 
and  starting  it  down  stream,  without  alarming  the  sen- 
tinel within.  When  the  proverbial  lightness  of  the 
sleep  of  the  American  Indian  is  borne  in  mind,  the  dif- 
ficulty of  this  work  will  be  fully  appreciated. 

The  wisp  of  bark  which  united  the  prow  to  a  limb 
was  parted  with  his  hunting  knife,  and  then  the  boat 


266  THE  RED  PLUME 

was  shoved  out  far  enough  to  avoid  the  overhanging 
branches,  and  it  began  floating  with  the  current. 

Red  Plume  did  not  enter  his  own  canoe,  but  support- 
ing himself  on  the  surface,  man  and  boats  were  drifting 
downward,  as  though  each  was  part  of  some  inanimate 
object,  not  a  ripple  disturbing  the  surface,  while  the 
daring  Sioux  who  was  performing  all  this  took  care  to 
keep  his  head  invisible  from  those  upon  the  shore. 

As  there  was  a  bright  moon  in  the  sky,  it  was  neces- 
sary that  Red  Plume  should  descend  the  river  far 
enough  to  escape  observation  whenever  he  should 
strike  out  for  the  centre ;  and,  remembering  the  rapidly 
approaching  daylight,  and  the  wonderfully  delicate 
task  he  had  in  hand,  it  will  be  seen  that  he  had  enough 
to  engage  all  his  attention  and  energy. 

When  they  had  drifted  in  this  manner  for  several 
hundred  yards,  he  set  himself  to  unite  the  two  boats. 
This  he  successfully  accomplished,  although  great  risk 
was  incurred. 

His  next  step  was  to  enter  his  canoe,  which  was  done 
without  any  sensible  jarring  of  the  larger  boat,  and 
then  everything  was  "  ship-shape." 

Still  the  sentinel  sat  with  bowed  head,  never  once 
looking  up.  Sleeping  like  a  cat,  the  plash  of  the  paddle 
or  a  slight  jerk  of  the  boat  would  have  aroused  him; 
but  none  of  these  disturbing  causes  came  about,  so  that 
his  slumbers  remained  undisturbed. 

A  great  deal  of  distance  remained  for  Red  Plume 
to  recover,  and  heading  out  in  the  current,  he  began 


THE  RED  PLUME  267 

paddling  across  the  stream,  ever  on  the  alert  for  any 
sights  or  sounds,  from  the  shore ;  but  all  was  still,  and 
far  above  him  in  the  centre  of  the  stream  he  could 
dimly  discern  the  outlines  of  the  island,  where  his 
friends  were  so  patiently  awaiting  his  return. 

Gradually  and  steadily  the  Indian  increased  the 
speed  of  the  boats  until  they  were  going  at  the  highest 
rate  possible,  and  he  soon  reached  a  point  as  close  to 
the  other  bank  as  he  wished  to  go. 

A  grim  smile  lit  up  his  features  as  he  reflected  upon 
the  success  of  his  attempt  to  outwit  his  enemies.  He 
had  not  only  recovered  the  two  stolen  boats,  but  he  had 
run  away  with  the  man  set  to  guard  them. 

He  no  longer  held  the  purpose  of  slaying  the  sleep- 
ing Indian,  but  intended  to  retain  him  as  a  prisoner. 

He  was  removed  so  far  from  his  reserves  that  Red 
Plume  felt  he  had  him  at  his  mercy,  even  if  he  should 
spring  overboard  and  attempt  to  elude  him  in  that  way. 

As  to  the  ultimate  disposal  of  the  sentinel  that  was  a 
question  to  be  determined  by  circumstances. 

Red  Plume  still  pressed  forward  with  his  prizes,  and 
was  nearly  abreast  the  lower  end  of  the  island  when  a 
wailing  shout  was  heard  from  the  shore.  It  was  in- 
stantly echoed  by  a  dozen  throats,  and  was  the  an- 
nouncement that  the  recapture  of  the  canoes  had  been 
discovered. 

But  it  was  now  too  late  to  retrieve  their  error,  and 
the  Sioux  leisurely  approached  his  destination,  as  one 
who  considers  the  battle  ended. 


t68  THE  RED  PLUME 

Crash !  went  a  rifle,  and  the  whistling  bullet  warned 
Red  Plume  that  he  was  the  target  of  some  one. 

"  Surrender,  I  command  you !  "  called  out  Pipkins, 
springing  to  his  feet,  and  excitedly  flinging  his  arms. 
"  Don't  you  undertake  to  run  away  with  that  boat 
again,  or  I'll — " 

But  Jud  Judkins  made  his  appearance  at  this  junc- 
ture, and  extinguished  the  over-vigilant  sentinel. 

The  sudden  uproar  had  as  suddenly  awakened  the 
prisoner,  who  started  up  with  a  bewildered  air.  At 
the  same  moment  Red  Plume  leaped  like  a  panther  into 
the  boat,  and,  with  knife  in  hand,  confronted  him. 

Not  a  word  passed,  but  the  savage  comprehended  the 
situation,  and  sinking  down  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat, 
signified  hi*  acceptance  of  the  situation. 

It  was  just  beginning  to  grow  light  in  the  east  as 
captor  and  captive  landed,  and  one  or  two  of  the  senti- 
nels gathered  around  them  to  hear  the  particulars  of 
the  daring  exploit  of  the  scout. 

He  did  not  seem  to  be  communicative,  but  a  few  re- 
plies to  Jud  were  sufficient  for  him  to  understand  how 
the  thing  had  come  about,  and  not  a  little  admiration 
was  excited  by  his  account. 

The  two  boats  were  fastened  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
island,  in  full  sight  of  the  Indians,  something  after  the 
fashion  of  the  aborigines  in  leaving  their  scalp-lock,  as 
a  challenge  to  whomever  chooses  to  come  and  take  it. 
The  captive  was  sullen  and  silent.  There  were  no 
signs  of  fear  in  his  face,  for  he  was  too  accustomed  to 


THE  RED  PLUME  269 

this  species  of  warfare  not  to  be  prepared  for  any  and 
all  consequences.  His  black  eyes  had  a  defiant  glitter 
as  they  glanced  from  one  to  the  other  of  those  gathered 
about  him,  as  if  to  say  that  he  cared  for  none  of  them. 

Muggins  and  Prescott  kept  their  places,  although 
they  had  some  idea  of  what  had  occurred  so  near  them, 
while  Fielding,  Jud  and  Pipkins  constituted  a  sort  of 
reception  committee  for  the  landing-party. 

"  You  have  drawn  an  elephant  in  the  lottery,"  said 
Pipkins,  addressing  Red  Plume,  "  and  what's  going  to 
be  done  with  him  ?  " 

"  He's  our  prisoner,"  replied  Jud. 

"  Exactly ;  and  how  many  men  is  it  going  to  take 
to  watch  him?  If  we  only  had  a  prison  here,  such  as 
we  have  in  Chicago,  we  might  lock  him  up,  and  set  Red 
Plume  to  catching  them  one  by  one  till  we  had  them  all 
in  durance,  and  then  we  would  sail  down  the  river  with 
banners  flying." 

"  I  think  you  ought  to  be  able  to  keep  him  in  cus- 
tody," remarked  Captain  Swarthausen,  coming  up  at 
this  moment. 

"  I  never  had  a  special  admiration  for  the  noble 
red  man,"  replied  the  exquisite.  "  He's  a  very  nice 
character  for  the  novelists  to  make  heroes  of,  and  he 
may  be  a  handy  fellow  to  be  enfranchised  after  awhile; 
but  no  nobie  red  man  for  me,  if  you  please.  I'm  will- 
ing to  let  him  go  toward  the  setting  sun  just  as  fast  as 
he  can  travel." 

"  What  dost  thou  propose  to  do  with  the  prisoner?  " 


»70  THE  RED  PLUME 

inquired  Fielding,  who  manifested  not  a  little  anxiety 
?bout  his  welfare. 

"  If  we  can't  do  anything  else,"  replied  Jud,  "  we 
can  starve  him  as  we  did  Jarrik,  and  scalp  him." 

"  That  would  be  wicked  and  cruel,"  added  the 
Friend,  with  no  little  earnestness.  "  He  is  a  helpless 
prisoner,  and  we  cannot  lay  violent  hands  upon  him. 
Why  not  try  the  effect  of  kindness  upon  him  ?  " 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

**  Treat  him  kindly,  and  then  let  him  go." 

"  Do  you  think  he  would  then  induce  the  others  to 
take  their  departure?"  asked  Captain  Swarthausen. 

"  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that,"  replied  Fielding, 
who  had  learned  too  much,  since  his  residence  in 
Minnesota,  to  indulge  any  such  fallacious  hopes ;  "  but 
it  might  make  a  friend  of  him" 

There  was  something  more  than  a  mere  sentimental- 
ism  in  this  remark,  and  all  appreciated  him.  Who 
could  tell  what  good  results  might  follow  the  plan  pro- 
posed ? 

"  It's  purty  sartin  it  won't  pay  to  keep  him  as  a  pris- 
oner," replied  Jud,  after  a  moment's  pause.  "  I'll  ques- 
tion Red  Plume,  and  see  what  ideas  he  has  about  the 
varmint." 

The  scout  spoke  to  his  friend  in  the  Indian  tongue, 
as  their  communication  in  that  was  more  easy  than  in 
English,  and  turned  to  his  friends  with  a  laugh. 

"  Red  Plume  is  very  'commodating  this  morning. 
He  says  we  can  kill  the  varmint,  or  let  him  go,  just  as 
we  choose." 


THE  RED  PLUME  271 

'*  Didst  thou  propose  the  exercise  of  kindness  toward 
him?" 

"  Yes ;   and  he's  willing." 

"  Then  let  us  make  the  experiment." 

The  party  began  moving  toward  the  centre  of  the 
grove,  where  the  camp-fire  had  been  kindled,  Jud  tak- 
ing occasion  to  admonish  Muggins  against  exposing 
himself,  as  it  was  an  easy  rifle-shot  from  the  shore ;  and 
there  was  little  doubt  of  the  Sioux  seizing  every  op- 
portunity of  picking  off  all  they  could. 

No  little  consternation  was  created  among  the  fe- 
male portion  of  the  fugitives  by  the  bringing  in  of  the 
prisoner.  Dinah,  who  was  just  beginning  to  prepare 
their  piscatorial  meal,  gave  a  fashionable  scream, 
dropped  her  fish,  and  threw  up  her  arms. 

"  My  gracious !  what  you  bring  dat  darkey  here 
fur?" 

"  He  wants  his  breakfast,"  replied  Captain  Swart- 
hausen. 

"Am  he  de  one  dat  'bused  my  baby  ?  "  she  asked,  be- 
ginning to  recover  herself,  and  looking  rather  sav- 
agely at  him. 

"Ask  Cato." 

The  young  man,  thus  appealed  to,  took  a  cautious 
survey  of  the  Indian,  and  pronounced  him  innocent  of 
all  ill-will  toward  him.  / 

"  Don't  remember  dat  I  ever  seed  him  afore — suah 
dat  he  neber  'bused  me ;  dat  is,  I  don't  tink  he  did/' 

"  Den  he  can  hab  his  breakfas'  jist  as  soon  as  it's 
ready,  and  not  afore." 


I7a  THE  RED  PLUME 

Red  Plume  motioned  to  his  prisoner  to  be  seated 
upon  the  ground,  but  he  refused,  and  stood  with  folded 
arms,  sullen  and  defiant,  apparently  unconscious  of  the 
oresence  of  any  one  else  near  him. 

The  captor  did  not  urge  his  point,  but  seated  himself 
close  by,  so  as  to  be  ready  to  interpose,  should  he  make 
any  movement  toward  escaping  from  his  custody. 

While  matters  were  thus,  Lillian  Prescott  delivered 
to  Captain  Swarthausen  the  note  from  his  nephew. 

As  may  be  supposed,  the  officer  read  it  with  eager 
interest,  and  speedily  made  known  its  contents. 

"  Back  at  Fort  Grandon  safe,"  said  he,  "  and  ordered 
away;  so  there  is  no  telling  when  we  shall  see  him 
again." 

"  Is  it  out  of  his  power  to  send  assistance  to  us?  " 
asked  Fielding. 

"  Yes ;  he  has  done  his  utmost  to  induce  the  com- 
mandant to  do  so,  but  he  says  runners  are  constantly 
coming  in  with  similar  requests,  and  he  has  peremp- 
torily refused  to  weaken  his  force  by  allowing  a  single 
man  to  leave  upon  any  such  errand,  so  we  are  shut  off 
from  all  hope  in  that  direction." 

"  He  will  allow  us  to  make  a  friendly  call  upon  him 
while  on  our  way  back  home?  "  asked  Pipkins. 

"  Yes ;  he  will  give  shelter  and  protection  to  all  who 
come  to  him,  but  he  won't  help  any  one  to  get  there." 

"  I  suppose  he  is  driven  to  act  sternly  in  the  matter," 
said  Fielding,  always  charitable  toward  his  fellow- 
men. 


THE  RED  PLUME  273 

"Yes;  I  appreciate  his  position,"  replied  Captain 
Swarthausen;  "a  commander  can't  be  just  without 
being  inflexible  in  his  line  of  conduct." 

"  Do  you  know  what  I  would  do,  if  I  was  comman- 
der of  this  department?  "  asked  Pipkins,  with  an  air 
which  showed  that  he  had  developed  some  brilliant 
idea. 

"  I  suppose  you  would  resign  and  go  to  Chicago." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it ;  I  would  put  Fort  Grandon  on 
wheels,  so  that  it  could  be  moved  all  around  the  coun- 
try. Thus  you  see  it  could  be  sent  to  any  point  de- 
sired, and  the  whole  country  would  be  protected." 

"  You  would  institute  an  order  of  land  iron-clads." 

"  Rather  of  perambulating  forts." 

No  comment  was  made  upon  this  admirable  idea  by 
the  listeners,  so  Pipkins  added  another  observation. 

"  The  longer  I  live,  the  more  convinced  do  I  become 
that  I  was  born  a  military  genius.  Nothing  is  lacking 
but  the  opportunity." 

All  this  time  Dinah  was  busily  engaged  in  the  cul- 
inary line,  and  she  soon  had  enough  fish  ready  for  an 
ordinary  Indian,  and  announced  the  same  to  Jud  Jud- 
kins. 

The  hunter  took  the  choicest  portions  offered,  and 
spreading  it  upon  some  large  green  leaves,  carried  it 
to  the  Indian  and  offered  it  to  him.  The  prisoner 
looked  at  him  a  moment  as  if  he  did  not  comprehend 
his  meaning;  but,  when  it  was  repeated,  he  closed  his 
lips  and  shook  his  head.  Jud  spoke  in  Sioux,  urging 


»74  THE  RED  PLUME 

him  to  accept  it ;  but  he  steadily  refused,  clinching  his 
declination  with  the  characteristic  remark,  that  he 
would  feel  no  hunger  while  in  the  camp  of  his  enemies. 

"  That's  all  lost,"  said  Jud,  as  he  turned  his  back 
upon  the  Sioux,  and  walked  to  where  the  others  stood. 

"  No,  it  isn't  lost,"  said  Cato;    "gib  me  dat." 

The  fish  being  passed  to  him,  the  negro  proved  em- 
phatically the  truth  of  what  he  had  said. 

"  Thou  hast  shown  him  thy  good  will,"  said  Field- 
ing; "he  cannot  fail  to  see  thy  friendly  disposition 
toward  him." 

"  I  propose  that  we  cram  it  down  his  throat,"  said 
Pipkins ;  "  that  is,  some  other  fish,  for  that  delicate 
infant  is  already  on  the  bones ;  then  the  Indian  will  be 
sure  to  remember  how  kindly  we  feel  toward  him." 

"  Is  there  nothing  else  that  we  can  do  for  him  ?  " 
asked  the  Friend. 

"  Nothing;   except  to  let  him  go." 

"  Let  that  be  done,  then." 

Red  Plume  being  consulted,  expressed  his  willing- 
ness, and  the  suggestion  was  carried  out  by  Jud,  who, 
placing  himself  beside  the  savage,  faced  toward  the 
river,  and  signified  to  him  to  follow. 

The  Sioux  required  no  urging,  and  a  moment  later 
the  two  stood  beside  the  flowing  river. 

"  Go  to  your  people,"  said  Jud,  in  the  Sioux  tongue; 
*'*  we  give  you  back  your  life." 

The  prisoner  went  without  delay.  The  scout 
watched  him  until  he  had  swam  the  intervening  dis- 


THE  RED  PLUME  275 

tance  and  came  out  upon  the  main  land.  Then  he  re- 
turned to  his  friends,  and  translated  the  remark  of  Red 
Plume. 

"  That  varmint  will  be  the  first  one  to  tomahawk 
any  of  us  that  gives  him  the  chance." 


THE   RETURN    SHOT 

FROM  one  side  of  the  island  a  narrow  point  of  land 
put  out,  and  in  the  eddy  immediately  below  this  was 
any  quantity  of  fish,  which  were  easily  hauled  from  the 
water  by  the  skilled  hand  of  Jud  Judkins,  who  was  sub- 
jected only  to  the  annoyance  of  keeping  himself  out  of 
range  of  the  Sioux  sharpshooters  on  shore. 

While  the  morning  meal  was  preparing,  a  sort  of 
council  of  war  was  held,  at  which  all  were  present  ex- 
cepting Muggins,  who  persisted  in  remaining  at  his 
station  until  some  one  was  ready  to  relieve  him. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  Red  Plume  and  old  Jud  were 
the  oracles.  While  both  of  them  saw  the  sad  error 
committed  in  remaining  upon  the  island  until  the  great 
danger  was  upon  them,  neither  could  point  out  the  way 
of  escape.  The  hunter  took  occasion  to  impress  upon 
all  the  peril  to  which  they  were  exposed  of  being  fired 
at  from  the  shore,  and  cautioned  them  against  ap- 
proaching the  river. 

"  There'll  never  be  a  minute  all  day,"  said  he,  M  when 
some  of  the  varmints  won't  have  their  eyes  on  it,  and 
the  first  chance  they  get  they'll  crack  away." 

"And  will  they  hit  us  ?  "  inquired  Pipkins. 

"  The  distance  is  so  short  that  they  can't  help  it" 
276 


THE  RED  PLUME  277 

The  only  time  that  afforded  anything  like  an  op- 
portunity for  stratagem  was  at  night  under  the  pro- 
tecting shelter  of  darkness;  but,  as  there  was  quite  a 
bright  moon,  such  a  night  as  the  one  just  past  would 
be  of  no  more  benefit  than  noonday. 

"  It  must  cloud  up,"  said  jud,  "  the  moon  has  got  to 
be  hid;  there  must  be  a  regular  storm  that'll  make  it 
as  black  as  a  wolf's  mouth.  Then,  there'll  be  some 
chance  of  sliding  off  in  the  dark." 

Red  Plume  having  manifested  some  dissatisfaction 
at  the  departure  of  the  Otter,  without  waiting  to  see 
him,  it  occurred  to  Captain  Swarthausen  that  perhaps 
there  was  a  good  cause  for  it. 

"  It  may  be  that  he  has  some  friends  to  whom  he  de- 
sires to  send  a  message,"  remarked  the  officer  turning 
toward  Jud. 

The  latter  shook  his  head. 

"  No ;  it  ain't  that.  There's  only  a  runner  here  and 
there  that  he  consorts  with,  and  no  notice  would  be 
took  of  any  message  that  he  could  send  the  Fort,  no 
more  than  if  it  was  from  me." 

The  result  of  the  deliberations  was  the  conviction 
that  it  only  remained  for  the  fugitives  to  preserve  a 
"  masterly  inactivity  "  until  nightfall  again,  unless  the 
Sioux  should  make  some  demonstration  against  them, 
compelling  them  to  defend  themselves. 

This  decided  upon,  all  sat  down  to  their  morning 
meal,  excepting  Red  Plume,  who  relieved  Muggins 
while  he  joined  them.  But  before  doing  so,  all  knelt 


278  THE  RED  PLUME 

upon  the  green  sod,  and  in  the  cool  shade  of  the  wood, 
offered  up  fervent  prayers  and  supplications  to  the 
Great  Being  who  had  brought  them  so  far  through  the 
wilderness,  and  who  alone  could  safely  conduct  them 
through  the  danger  by  which  they  were  environed. 
All  hearts  were  solemn,  for  it  was  no  time  for  levity. 
The  shadow  of  death  was  across  their  path,  and  the 
hand  of  man  was  powerless  to  lead  them  through. 
Even  the  shallow-brained  Pipkins  for  the  time  was 
serious,  and  none  joined  more  earnestly  in  the  supplica- 
tions than  did  he. 

When  they  rose  to  their  feet,  the  eyes  of  more  than 
one  were  moistened  with  tears,  and  for  the  time  the 
silence  was  unbroken.  Poor  Muggins !  erst  so  genial, 
so  childishly  good-natured  and  frolicsome,  so  infantile 
almost  in  his  reliance  upon  his  wife  and  others,  looked 
so  woe-begone  and  sorrow-stricken,  that  there  was 
none  who  did  not  pity  him.  Pipkins  regretted  keenly 
the  unfeeling  words  which  he  had  uttered,  although 
she  had  irritated  him,  and  he  would  have  given  a  great 
deal  could  he  have  recalled  them. 

But,  as  this  was  impossible,  he  made  it  up  as  well  as 
he  could  in  kindness  toward  Muggins  himself.  He 
presented  him  with  his  pocket-knife,  lent  him  his 
meerschaum,  and  showed,  in  a  dozen  different  ways, 
that  underneath  his  trifling  manner  there  was  a  sympa- 
thetic feeling  for  a  suffering  brother,  which  could  not 
forbear  manifesting  itself. 

When  the  meal  was  finished,  those  who  had  acted  as 


THE  RED  PLUME  279 

sentinels  during  the  preceding  night,  disposed  of  them- 
selves so  as  to  gain  a  few  hours'  sleep,  the  guardian- 
ship of  the  island  being  left  entirely  in  the  hands  of 
Red  Plume,  who  certainly  was  well  qualified  to  assume 
such  a  responsibility. 

"  They  won't  steal  many  canoes  while  he's  watch- 
ing," remarked  Jud,  as  he  sat  with  his  back  against  a 
tree  in  his  favorite  sleeping  attitude. 

"  No ;  nor  dey  won't  while  I'se  on  guard,"  added 
Cato,  "  'cause  when  I  undertooks  to  keep  watch,  I  does 
it." 

"  You've  been  to  sleep  all  night,  so  you  can  help 
him." 

"  Not  jist  yit,"  replied  the  African;  "  I  hasn't  quite 
finished  my  nap.  Wait  till  I  wokes  up  agin,  and  den 
I'll  do  anything  you  wants  me  to  do,  dat  is,  if  I  wants 
to  do  it  myself." 

The  day  gave  signs  of  being  one  of  the  hottest  of 
the  season.  Even  at  this  early  hour  its  warmth  was 
felt  among  the  trees,  although  a  slight  breeze  prevented 
it  becoming  oppressive  so  long  as  that  lasted. 

Lillian  and  Edith,  with  their  mother,  strolled  back 
and  forth  for  a  short  distance  through  the  wood,  tak- 
ing good  care  to  remember  the  warning  of  Jud  about 
exposing  themselves  to  the  fire  of  the  vigilant  Sioux. 
Their  curiosity,  however,  led  them  to  a  point  where 
they  could  part  the  bushes  and  gaze  across  the  inter- 
vening water ;  but,  although  they  looked  long  and  ear- 
nestly, they  detected  no  sign  of  their  enemies.  All  was 


88o  THE  RED  PLUME 

as  still  and  motionless  as  it  must  have  been  a  thousand 
years  before. 

The  wonderful  propensity  of  the  African  race  to 
slumber  is  well  known,  so  that  Dinah,  although  she  had 
slept  the  whole  night  through,  glided  off  into  uncon- 
sciousness again,  with  Cato,  her  baby  boy,  within  reach 
of  her  brawny  arm,  whenever  she  chose  to  wake.  Thus, 
for  the  time,  nearly  all  the  fugitives  were  asleep,  ex- 
cepting the  females  mentioned. 

As  these  wandered  cautiously  to  and  fro,  they  en- 
countered Red  Plume,  who  came  upon  them  with  such 
a  noiseless  suddenness  that  a  slight  scream  escaped  Lil- 
lian. The  Indian  stopped,  and  his  grim  features  re- 
laxed into  a  smile  as  he  looked  at  the  timid  ones,  whose 
fright  was  natural  enough. 

"  'Fraid?  "he  asked,  in  his  broken,  jerky  manner. 

"  I  was  alarmed  until  I  recognized  you,"  replied 
Lillian,  "  but  we  are  safer  in  your  society  than  in  that 
of  any  one  else." 

The  dark  eyes  of  the  Indian  lit  up  with  pleasure  at 
this  compliment,  which  he  knew  was  sincere. 

"Keep  way  from  water,"  he  added;  "  Injin  ober 
dere." 

"  We  looked  a  moment  ago,"  said  Edith,  "  but  could 
not  see  any." 

"  Dey  dere,"  he  added,  more  earnestly  than  before ; 
and  then,  as  he  was  about  to  move  away,  he  beckoned 
to  them  to  follow. 

They  did  so  unhesitatingly,  until  they  caught  the 


THE  RED  PLUME  281 

glimmer  of  the  water  through  the  trees;  then  their 
leader  paused,  and  carefully  drawing  some  under- 
growth aside,  asked  them  to  look. 

All  three  did  so,  peering  over  the  shoulders  of  the 
Indian.  Following  closely  the  direction  indicated,  they 
first  descried  a  canoe  drawn  up  under  the  bank,  so  that 
only  one  end  was  barely  visible,  and  a  little  to  one  side 
of  it  they  distinguished  nearly  a  half  dozen  Sioux, 
sometimes  halting  and  sometimes  moving  back  and 
forth  with  a  stealthy  tread,  as  if  fearful  that  the  noise 
of  their  footsteps  might  reach  hostile  ears.  It  was  like 
looking  down  into  deep,  clear  water  for  fish,  whose 
backs  can  scarcely  be  distinguished,  except  when  they 
glide  from  place  to  place.  It  was  only  when  Red 
Plume  secured  their  gaze  upon  the  very  spot,  that  the 
aborigines  could  be  distinguished  through  the  inter- 
stices of  limbs  and  vegetation  as  they  moved  along. 

The  females  gazed  for  a  long  time,  as  if  fascinated 
by  this  evidence  of  the  danger  menacing  them,  and 
then  only  withdrew  when  their  friend  gave  them  an 
unmistakable  hint  to  do  so. 

"And  they  are  the  same  who  burned  our  house?" 
inquired  Mrs.  Prescott. 

Red  Plume  replied  by  a  nod. 

"  How  long  will  they  wait  there  ?  " 

"  Till  git  us,  or  we  git  way,"  was  the  definite 
answer.  "  No  whiskey  now — no  drunk  come — dey 
wait." 

"  How  are  we  to  escape  ?  "    asked  Mrs.  Prescott, 


282  THE  RED  PLUME 

looking  earnestly  into  the  swarthy  face  before  her,  as 
if  she  were  about  to  read  her  own  doom. 

"  Great  Spirit  tell,"  replied  the  redskin,  reverentially 
pointing  upward.  "  He  tell  Red  Plume,  and  Red 
Plume  take  all  off  from  Sioux." 

There  was  an  earnest  simplicity  in  the  answer  of  the 
savage  which  touched  the  hearts  of  his  listeners.  He 
had  the  reputation  of  being  a  Christian  Indian,  al- 
though his  peculiar  reserve  and  reticence  prevented, 
in  a  degree,  the  reading  of  the  thoughts  that  frequently 
passed  through  his  brain.  Jud  had  spoken  of  his  way 
of  praying  when  they  were  alone,  and  his  frequent 
communings  with  the  Great  Spirit  who  ruled  them  all ; 
but  enough  of  his  old  nature  remained  to  give  him  the 
wildest  pleasure  when  he  tore  the  scalp  from  the  head 
of  his  victim,  and  held  the  reeking  trophy  aloft,  and  he 
uttered  his  shouts  of  defiance. 

But  there  was  one  thing  of  which  all  were  certain, 
Red  Plume  was  as  intensely  hated  by  the  wild  Sioux 
of  the  North- West  as  he  was  esteemed  by  the  white 
race,  whom  for  so  many  years  he  had  served  with  such 
self -sacrificing  devotion. 

More  than  once  he  had  acted  as  guide  to  parties 
going  overland  to  California,  and  when  the  settlements 
of  the  territories  began  in  earnest,  he  proved  of  in- 
calculable value  to  the  forts,  stations  and  settlers  them- 
selves. 

Possessed  of  extraordinary  fleetness  of  foot,  with  a 
natural  keenness  of  intellect,  trained  by  many  a  year 


THE  RED  PLUME 

upon  the  trail  and  war-path,  he  was  a  man  who  neverr 
to  any  serious  degree,  had  been  outwitted  by  his  ene- 
mies, nor  had  he  ever  fallen  into  their  power,  when 
they  would  have  been  glad  to  sacrifice  a  half-dozen  of 
their  best  warriors  for  the  sake  of  securing  him. 

He  carefully  scanned  the  shores,  but  discovered 
nothing  new,  and  turning  his  back  upon  the  ladies, 
walked  rather  abruptly  away. 

Left  to  themselves,  they  wandered  off  toward  the 
lowermost  point  of  the  island,  where  they  carefully 
refrained  from  exposing  themselves,  but  ventured  upon 
the  dangerous  experiment  of  peering  forth  in  quest  of 
their  foes.  They  looked  long  and  searchingly,  but  it 
seemed  as  if  even  those  whom  their  guide  pointed  out 
had  all  withdrawn  further  into  the  wood,  for  not  one 
could  descry  them. 

"  Can  you  see  the  canoe  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Prescott. 
"  I  can't  make  that  out  even." 

Nor  could  the  others,  proving  that  the  Indians  had 
really  left,  or  that  the  ladies  needed  the  keen  vision  of 
Red  Plume  to  direct  their  own. 

"  I  am  sure  I  can  find  it,"  said  Lillian,  taking  a  step 
or  two  in  advance,  "  for  I  do  not  believe  they  are  gone 
yet." 

"  Be  careful,"  warned  Edith,  placing  her  hand  upon 
her  shoulder ;  "  you  run  great  risk  of  being  killed." 

"  I  do  not  fear—" 

Lillian  uttered  a  shriek,  and  fell  back  in  the  arms  oi 
her  mother  and  elder  sister,  and  with  the  bound  of  a 


284  THE  RED  PLUME 

frightened  panther,  Red  Plume,  who  had  heard  the 
spiteful  crack  of  the  rifle,  was  at  their  side. 

"  Where  hit  ?  "  he  asked,  dropping  on  one  knee  and 
gazing  intently  upon  the  pale  face  of  the  girl. 

"  Nowhere,"  she  replied,  compressing  her  lips,  and 
bravely  rising  to  the  sitting  position ;  "  it  was  the  wind 
of  the  ball  before  my  eyes." 

"  De  wind  kill  like  ball,"  was  the  truthful  remark  of 
the  Sioux. 

"  Not  always,"  replied  Lillian,  who,  for  the  sake  of 
the  others,  forced  back  the  singular  faintness  that  was 
coming  over  her.  "  I  felt  it,  and  thought  the  bullet  had 
gone  through  my  head  for  the  instant,  but  I  now  begin 
to  think  it  did  not," 

Red  Plume  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  examined  the 
limbs  and  branches  about  them.  It  required  but  a  mo- 
ment for  the  keen  eyes  to  detect  the  spot  where  the 
well-aimed  bullet  had  clipped  off  the  bark  and  half- 
severed  the  limb  of  a  tree  in  their  front,  which  thereby 
diverted  the  deadly  messenger  just  sufficiently  to  cause 
it  to  miss  the  brain  of  Lillian  by  scarcely  a  hair's 
breadth. 

It  was  one  of  those  narrow  escapes — so  narrow,  in- 
deed, that  the  remembrance  of  it  almost  takes  one's 
breath  away  for  a  long  time  afterward. 

"  Who  tink  do  dat  ?  "  asked  Red  Plume,  while  a 
curious  smiling  expression  overspread  his  countenance. 

Not  knowing  what  he  meant,  Edith  replied  by  sev- 
eral questions,  until  she  learned  that  Red  Plume  was 


THE  RED  PLUME  285 

seeking  to  learn  the  identity  of  the  would-be  murderer  of 
Lillian. 

Of  course  none  had  the  slightest  conception. 

"De  Sioux  dat  I  bring  shore — den  let  go." 

Even  this  positive  assertion  of  their  friend  could 
scarcely  be  believed,  for  they  were  at  a  loss  to  under- 
stand how  Red  Plume  could  assure  himself  of  it. 

"See  here,"  said  he,  rightly  understanding  the  in- 
credulous looks  upon  their  faces,  "me  show  him." 

In  the  same  cautious  manner  as  before  he  parted  the 
bushes,  and  they  looked  forth  and  thereby  plainly  saw 
the  head  and  shoulders  of  an  Indian  looking  out  from 
behind  a  tree,  as  though  he  were  carefully  endeavoring 
to  learn  the  result  of  his  shot. 

"Dat  him?"  asked  Red  Plume,  with  childish  eager- 
ness. 

"There  isn't  enough  difference  between  your  peo- 
ple's looks  for  me  to  distinguish  them  apart  at  that 
great  distance,"  replied  Edith. 

The  other  two  expressed  the  same  opinion,  and  Red 
Plume  was  thus  deprived  of  a  triumphant  confirmation 
of  his  remark  at  the  time  of  the  liberation  of  the  pris- 
oner. 

"Still  we  know  you  are  right,"  said  Mrs.  Prescott, 
smiling  upon  the  redskin,  who  apparently  was  not  a  little 
disappointed. 

"Yes;  Red  Plume  never  makes  a  mistake,"  added 
Lillian,  placing  her  white,  delicate  hand  upon  the 


286  THE  RED  PLUME 

swarthy,  muscular  shoulder  of  the  Sioux  with  all  the 
confiding  faith  of  a  child. 

He  turned  and  looked  the  thanks,  which  he  could  not 
express  in  her  tongue.  Then  he  gently  moved  her  to 
one  side,  and  took  up  his  rifle  and  raised  the  hammer. 

No  one  suspected  what  he  meant,  until,  with  a  quiet 
swiftness,  he  brought  it  to  a  level,  and  pointed  the 
muzzle  through  the  bushes.  Only  an  instant  was  it  held 
thus,  and  then  the  stillness  was  broken  by  its  clear 
report,  and  mingled  with  the  sound  was  the  horrid  cry 
of  the  stricken  man  at  whom  it  was  aimed. 

"Neber  do  dat  more,"  said  Red  Plume,  as  he  coolly 
reloaded  his  piece;  "he  bad  Injun — he  gone." 

All  were  hushed  by  this  sudden  shot  and  its  result, 
and  while  they  admired  the  courage  of  their  dusky 
friend,  there  was  a  certain  awe  inspired  by  this  evidence 
of  his  anger  that  prevented  their  commenting  upon 
what  they  had  seen  him  do. 

"Now  go  back,"  said  he,  "Red  Plume  keep  watch." 

His  advice  was  heeded,  and  the  three  walked 
thoughtfully  to  where  the  camp-fire  had  died  entirely 
out.  Here  they  found  all  wrapped  in  slumber,  except 
Jud,  who  opened  his  eyes  as  they  came  up. 

"When  I  dream  I  hear  a  gun  go  off,"  said  he,  "it's 
purty  sartin  that  thar's  been  one  fired." 

"So  there  has,"  replied  Edith.  "Red  Plume  did 
it." 

"And  what  fur? — but  here  conies  the  chap  himself, 
and  he  can  tell  me  all  about  it." 


THE  RED  PLUME  287 

And  so  he  did  in  the  course  of  a  few  moments.  Then 
the  two  hunters  conversed  quite  earnestly  in  the  Indian 
tongue,  and  Jud  announced  to  the  listening  but  mysti- 
fied ladies: 

"He's  goin'  to  leave  the  island." 

"Now?"  asked  Lillian. 

"Yes,  now,  in  broad  day." 

"But  he  will  be  shot !" 

"P'raps  so;  but  he's  got  some  kink  in  his  head,  and 
thinks  he  sees  a  way  to  play  another  trick  on  the  var- 
mints. There  ain't  no  use  of  talking,  for  he's  bound 
to  go — this  very  minute,  too." 


CHAPTER   XXVII 
THE  QUAKER'S  WOOING. 

It  was  no  ordinary  feat  to  escape  from  an  island 
during  broad  daylight,  when  it  was  under  the  close  sur- 
veillance of  the  Sioux,  on  both  shores,  and  yet  Red  Plume 
accomplished  it  by  his  great  skill  in  swimming. 

Choosing  a  particular  portion  of  the  shore  where  the 
overhanging  undergrowth  was  the  heaviest,  he  quietly 
let  himself  down  into  the  water,  took  a  long  dive,  and 
when  he  came  to  the  surface  every  portion  of  his  per- 
son remained  under  except  his  nose,  whose  size  was  not 
sufficient  to  attract  any  notice  except  when  very  near; 
and  in  this  position  he  supported  himself  on  his  back, 
and  simply  "floated  with  the  tide." 

Old  Jud,  who  was  intently  watching  the  manoeuvres 
of  his  dusky  friend,  followed  with  his  eye  the  drifting 
signal,  as  the  bee-hunter  traces  the  bullet-like  insect, 
when  it  shoots  through  the  air,  until,  at  last,  it  was  lost 
to  view,  although  the  body  was  still  within  rifle-shot  of 
the  island,  and  of  the  Indians  upon  the  shore. 

"Ef  7  can't  see  him  from  here,"  he  reflected,  "there 
ain't  much  danger  of  the  varmints  setting  eyes  upon 
him." 

288 


THE  RED  PLUME  289 

But  this  comforting  reflection  was  cut  short  by  see- 
ing a  small  canot  put  out  from  the  bank  some  distance 
down  the  shore,  and  begin  paddling  toward  the  centre. 

"It  can't  be  they've  seen  him,"  muttered  Jud,  as  a 
chill  of  apprehension  ran  through  him,  "onless  they 
spied  him  go  into  the  water." 

A  long  stretch  separated  the  canoe  from  the  island, 
but  in  the  hope  of  deterring  the  Indians,  the  hunter 
brought  his  piece  to  his  shoulder,  and  fired  at  them.  It 
looked  as  if  the  occupants  had  no  thought  that  they 
were  the  recipients  of  this  compliment,  for  they  pad- 
dled ahead  in  the  same  deliberate  manner  as  at  first. 

The  well-known  fact  of  the  greater  rapidity  and  dis- 
tinctness of  sound  in  passing  through  a  solid  or  liquid 
(like  water  as  compared  with  air)  served  Red  Plume 
a  good  turn  in  this  instance.  The  wash  of  the  canoe, 
as  it  left  the  shore,  and  the  dip  of  its  paddles,  as  it 
passed  out  into  the  stream,  were  all  heard  by  him,  and 
the  cause  thereof  was  no  matter  of  doubt  for  a  mo- 
ment. 

It  looked  as  if  the  fearless  scout  had  placed  himself 
in  a  position  of  frightful  danger;  for  great  as  was  his 
skill  in  the  water,  he  had  no  hope  in  a  trial  of  speed 
with  a  canoe  propelled  by  his  own  countrymen. 

Still,  Red  Plume  preserved  his  imperturbable  cool- 
ness, and  it  may  be  said  that  he  was  not  given  an  addi- 
tional pulse-beat,  as  he  floated  aimlessly  downward. 
Although  matters  pointed  the  other  way,  he  believed 
the  savages  had  no  knowledge  of  the  ruse  he  had  at- 


290  THE  RED  PLUME 

tempted.  Some  other  object  had  caused  them  to  start 
across  the  river. 

But,  if  such  were  the  case,  the  aborigines  had  so 
timed  their  journey  as  to  make  it  look  very  likely  that 
they  would  intercept  their  bitter  foe  ere  he  could  drift 
beyond  their  reach.  It  was  one  of  those  accidental 
coincidences  which  are  often  fraught  with  serious  con- 
sequences. 

In  his  peculiar  position,  Red  Plume  was  unable  to 
locate  the  canoe,  but  above  the  faint  humming  which 
the  submerged  swimmer  feels  in  his  ears,  he  could  de- 
tect the  steady  dip  and  wash  of  the  paddle,  and  he  had 
not  a  moment  of  doubt  of  the  general  course  of  the 

boat. 

^ 

Great  as  was  the  risk,  the  Indian  determined  to  find 
out  to  a  certainty  the  precise  location  of  his  foes.  He 
was  sure  of  the  side  upon  which  he  ought  to  look,  and 
he  suddenly  threw  his  head  forward,  imitating  the  move- 
ment of  a  fish,  as  it  is  sometimes  seen  to  leap  clear  of 
the  surface. 

The  simple  artifice  was  successful.  The  plash  he 
thus  made  was  observed  by  the  Sioux,  but  their  eyes 
were  turned  in  another  direction,  and  they  very  natu- 
rally attributed  it  to  the  cause  that  Red  Plume  intended 
should  be  taken. 

As  he  performed  the  strategem  he  caught  sight  of  the 
boat,  and  saw  that,  from  the  direction  and  the  speed 
with  which  it  was  going,  it  was  certain  to  inter- 


THE  RED  PLUME  291 

cept  him  very  near  the  centre  of  the  stream,  unless  some- 
thing was  done  to  stave  off  the  collision. 

Red  Plume  had  the  choice  of  hastening  his  down- 
ward progress,  checking  it  altogether,  or  of  accom- 
plishing the  same  purpose  by  shying  off  from  the  cen- 
tre of  the  river. 

He  concluded,  after  scarcely  a  moment's  hesitation, 
to  turn  toward  the  bank  which  was  opposite  the  one 
left  by  the  canoe,  and  driving  himself  down  stream  at 
the  same  time  with  all  the  strength  he  could  summon. 

He  could  gather  comparatively  little  speed  from  his 
submerged  position,  and  from  the  danger  there  was  of 
attracting  the  attention  of  the  lynx-eyed  savages  in  the 
boat,  but  he  did  his  utmost;  and  when  the  canoe  had 
reached  a  point  that  was  precisely  the  same  distance 
from  the  shore  as  himself  something  like  twenty  yards 
separated  them. 

It  was  a  critical  moment  for  the  Indian,  for  had  the 
eyes  of  the  Sioux  been  turned  toward  him  they  would 
have  been  pretty  certain  to  see  the  upturned  face,  as  we 
see  the  bronzed  countenance  of  a  man  gazing  through 
the  window-pane;  but,  very  naturally  and  very  fortu- 
nately, the  redskins  were  scrutinizing  the  island,  and  had 
no  suspicion  of  the  proximity  of  the  abhorred  scout  who 
had  so  often  wrought  them  dire  ill. 

At  this  time  Jud  Judkins  was  watching  the  canoe  as 
a  general  scrutinizes  the  movement  of  his  enemy.  Great 
as  was  his  confidence  in  the  sagacity  of  his  dusky  com- 
panion, it  was  not  until  the  boat  had  passed  consider- 


292 


THE  RED  PLUME 


ably  beyond  the  centre  of  the  stream,  that  hope  revived 
in  his  breast.  When,  at  last,  it  glided  under  the  bank, 
and  the  occupants  landed,  he  drew  a  sigh  of  relief. 

"Good !"  he  exclaimed,  with  sparkling  eyes ;  "no- 
body but  Red  Plume  could  have  done  that!" 

The  afternoon  was  now  well  advanced,  and  all  the 
fugitives  were  astir.  Old  Jud  returned  to  the  camp, 
and  cautioned  each  against  exposing  himself  or  herself 
to  observation  from  the  mainland,  enforcing  his  warn- 
ing by  narrating  the  narrow  escape  of  Lillian  Prescott. 

He  promised  to  patrol  the  island  himself,  so  that  no 
necessity  could  exist  for  any  tempting  the  death  that 
continually  impended. 

This  enforced  quiescence  was  naturally  irksome  to 
our  friends,  who  saw  only  an  increase  of  danger  in 
every  moment  that  they  spent  upon  this  narrow  strip  of 
land.  A  general  feeling  manifested  itself  that,  if 
another  morning  found  them  there,  they  would  never 
leave  it. 

The  precise  object  of  Red  Plume's  departure  could 
not  even  be  conjectured.  Even  Old  Jud,  when  appealed 
to,  declared  that  he  had  scarcely  a  suspicion  of  what  it 
could  be.  That  it  was  very  important  was  manifest  from 
the  great  risk  he  voluntarily  assumed. 

"You'll  hear  from  him  in  good  time,"  was  the  only 
reply  he  could  give  to  their  numerous  appeals  for  in- 
formation. 

Left  entirely  to  themselves,  the  different  members  of 
the  party  "killed  time"  as  best  they  could,  and  each 


THE  RED  PLUME  293 

in  a  characteristic  way,  and  not  forgetful  of  the  re- 
iterated warning  of  him  who  might  now  be  regarded  as> 
their  commander-in-chief. 

The  latter  walked  slowly  back  and  forth  the  entire 
length  of  the  island,  down  one  side  and  up  the  other, 
insinuating  himself  among  and  through  the  bushes 
with  the  dextrous  noiselessness  of  a  weasel. 

Captain  Swarthausen,  observing  the  dejection  of 
spirits  in  Muggins,  lounged  upon  the  ground  beside 
him,  and  did  his  utmost  to  interest  him  in  the  "situa- 
tion." He  succeeded  far  better  than  he  anticipated, 
for  to  this  officer  was  given  remarkable  conversational 
powers,  and  he  was  quite  pleased  to  see  his  friend  cheer 
up,  and  answer  and  propose  questions  in  quite  an  ani- 
mated manner. 

Mr.  Prescott  and  his  wife  sauntered  a  short  distance 
away,  arm-in-arm,  talking  together  in  low  tones,  thank- 
ful for  the  guidance  that  had  led  them  thus  far,  and 
only  praying  that  the  protecting  hand  would  not  be 
drawn  from  them  in  this  their  hour  of  extremity. 

Lillian  wandered  off,  seeking  some  secluded  spot, 
where  she  could  find  opportunity  to  re-read  and  study 
the  letter  that  the  Otter  had  brought  to  her  during  the 
darkness  of  the  night;  .but  when  alone,  she  was 
alarmed  to  discover  that  the  precious  missive  was  gone. 
She  had  lost  it  somewhere  upon  the  island. 

Augustus  Pipkins  filled  and  lit  his  meerschaum,  and 
then  lounged  toward  a  different  point  from  the  others, 


294  THE  RED  PLUME 

seeking  some  place  where  he  might  loll  in  the  cool  of 
the  wood  and  enjoy  his  nicotine. 

"Now,  if  I  only  had  a  novel,  it  wouldn't  be  so  bad, 
after  all,  to  stretch  out  and  read  yourself  asleep ;  or  if 
I  had  a  copy  of  some  good  newspaper  or  magazine,  I 
wouldn't  object  to  staying  here  for  several  days;  but 
I  will  seek  some  secluded  retreat,  and  there  I  will  en- 
gage in  philosophical  meditation,"  and  the  young 
gentleman  passed  his  hand  over  his  forehead  as 
thoughtfully  as  ever  did  the  veriest  bookworm. 

Dinah,  the  cook,  opened  her  eyes  for  a  few  minutes, 
and  then  shut  them  in  sleep  again. 

Cato  remained  seated  upon  the  ground,  wide  awake 
and  whistling  some  melody,  and  contented  until  he  be- 
came hungry  again. 

How  it  came  about  cannot  be  said  with  any  cer 
tainty;  but,  although  Edith  Prescott  and  Fielding  took 
almost   opposite  routes,  yet  they  had  been  absent  scarce 
ten  minutes  when  they  suddenly  came  face  to  face  in 
the  wood,  and  both  paused  with  a  look  of  surprise. 

Edith  blushed,  smiled,  and  saluted  him,  and  the 
young  Friend  showed  scarcely  less  confusion,  but 
neither  turned  and  fled.  Old  Jud  making  his  appear- 
ance at  this  juncture,  afforded  both  considerable  relief 
in  the  way  of  giving  them  an  opportunity  of  exchang- 
ing a  few  words  with  him.  But  he  tarried  only  a 
moment  and  moving  rapidly  away,  they  were  left  to 
themselves. 

Accepting  an  invitation  to  do  so,  Edith  seated  her- 


THE  RED  PLUME  295 

self  upon  a  small  knoll  near  at  hand,  while  the  young 
Friend  very  respectfully  did  the  same,  only  taking 
pains  that  a  goodly  distance  separated  them. 

"How  wonderfully  we  have  been  brought  through 
danger  thus  far!"  remarked  Fielding,  after  several 
moments  of  embarrassing  silence.  "Truly  the  hand 
of  God  has  sustained  us." 

"It  is  what  I  have  been  thinking  of  ever  since  I 
awoke,"  she  replied,  speaking  the  literal  truth.  "So 
great,  indeed,  has  been  the  mercy  of  God,  that  I  can- 
not believe  he  will  forsake  us  in  this  hour,  when  we 
can  see  no  way  of  escape." 

"He  surely  will  not,  but  He  will  not  deliver  us  un- 
less we  help  ourselves.  But  for  the  watchfulness  of 
Red  Plume  and  old  Jud,  what  would  have  become  of 
us?" 

"You  need  not  except  yourself,"  said  Edith,  look- 
ing in  his  face;  "for  father  says  all  would  have  been 
lost  long  ago  but  for  you." 

"He  judges  me  unjustly.  My  belief  is  against  all 
manner  of  warfare,  and  I  have  not  fired  my  gun  with 
intent  to  kill  since  this  calamity  has  come  upon  us." 

"It  is  not  the  firing  of  guns  that  has  saved  us." 

"But  it  has  done  an  important  part;  without  it,  we 
all  would  have  been  lost  long  before  this." 

"And  without  the  watchfulness  and  skill  that  you 
showed  at  the  house,  father  says  the  place  would  have 
been  burned  long  ago.  But  I  do  not  wish  to  force  any 
praise  upon  you,"  said  Edith,  with  a  smile.  "I  know 


296  THE  RED  PLUME 

nothing  myself  of  what  you  did.  I  only  repeat  what 
father  said,  and  you  cannot  ask  me  to  disbelieve  him." 

"No,  I  would  not  make  such  a  request  of  thee. 
Equally  hopeless  would  have  been  our  situation  with- 
out the  presence  of  thy  father  and  mother.  If  any 
praise  be  due  me,  it  must  be  shared  with  them." 

And  thus  modestly  did  Fielding  parry  the  compli- 
ments that  Edith  in  her  partiality  could  not  refrain 
from  directing  toward  him.  But  he  showed  such  a 
real  antipathy  to  anything  of  the  character  that  she 
refrained  from  carrying  it  any  further. 

"It  would  be  idle  to  deny  that  great  danger  men- 
aced us,"  he  added,  after  another  awkward  pause, 
"when  the  heathen  encompassed  us  all  about;  and 
more  than  once  I  was  sure  they  would  overcome  us 
all,  but  during  all  that  time  I  can  say  that  I  never 
failed  to  think  of  thee." 

There  was  no  mistaking  these  words,  nor  the  earn- 
est gaze  which  accompanied  them.  Edith  hung  her 
head,  but  managed  to  find  voice  to  reply: 

"I  am  glad  to  find  that  I  was  not  forgotten  by  my 
friends.  Not  knowing  how  we  were  situated,  all  of 
you  must  have  felt  anxious  about  us.  I  am  sure  there 
was  scarcely  a  moment  that  we  were  not  praying  for 
our  friends  on  the  other  side  the  lake." 

"Yes ;  the  heart  of  thy  mother  was  wrung  with  grief 
until  she  learned  from  Red  Plume  that  thou  wert  safe ; 
but  not  even  then  could  we  free  ourselves  of  all  anx- 


THE  RED  PLUME  297 

iety,  for  there  never  was  a  time  when  thou  wert  not 
in  great  peril." 

Edith  suddenly  turned  her  head,  as  if  alarmed  at 
something. 

"What  is  it?"  inquired  Fielding,  rising  to  his  feet 
and  approaching  closer  to  her. 

"I  heard  a  rustling  in  the  bushes,  as  though  some- 
cne  or  something  was  approaching.  It  sounded  di- 
rectly behind  me." 

"There  is  nothing  there,"  replied  the  Friend,  after 
looking  at  the  undergrowth  for  a  moment.  "Thou 
wert  probably  deceived." 

"Perhaps  so." 

Very  likely  as  a  means  of  protection,  Fielding  seated 
himself  considerably  nearer  her  than  at  first,  and  very 
naturally,  too,  their  tones  became  quite  low  and  tender. 

"It  sounded  like  the  rustling  of  a  bird,"  she  said, 
referring  to  the  noise  which  had  disturbed  her. 

"Very  likely  it  was,"  replied  the  Friend.  "What 
more  natural  than  that  it  should  become  startled  at  our 
presence, and  fly  away?  But  I  will  keep  close  to  thee, 
lest  it  may  be  the  warning  of  danger." 

Edith  made  no  objection  to  the  proximity  of  her 
chivalrous  friend,  although  she  could  have  given  no 
logical  reason  why  there  was  more  safety  within  an 
arm's  length  of  him  than  within  a  half  dozen  feet.  But 
had  her  heart  confessed  the  truth,  it  would  have  told 
of  the  pleasure  and  delight  of  knowing  that  Field- 
ing was  so  near  her.  His  handsome  face  spoke  only 


298  THE  RED  PLUME 

of  the  nobility  of  the  soul  within.  His  deportment 
was  consistent  with  his  profession,  and  yet  Colonel 
Havens  could  not  surpass  him  in  true  courage,  nor 
could  any  arm  be  relied  upon  with  greater  confidence 
than  his,  when  there  was  need  of  good,  strong  blows 
being  struck. 

Now  and  then,  Fielding  looked  over  his  shoulder, 
to  make  sure  that  no  terrible  enemy  was  stealing  upon 
them  unawares;  but  as  he  became  interested  in  the 
words  of  her  at  his  side,  he  gradually  forgot  this  pre- 
caution, and  found  time  only  to  gaze  into  her  peerless 
face,  and  to  reply  to  the  words  that  fell  from  her  lips. 

It  was  hardly  to  be  expected  that  the  Friend  would 
become  sentimental  in  his  utterances,  and  yet  what 
are  we  to  think  of  such  expressions  as  the  following: 

"I  feared  that  the  hours  would  pass  wearily  to  me, 
while  compelled  to  stay  upon  this  island;  but  verily, 
they  are  gliding  fast." 

"That  is  curious,  indeed." 

"Not  so,  when  I  reflect  upon  the  cause  thereof." 

"And  what  can  be  the  reason?"  asked  Edith,  liter- 
ally driven  into  asking  the  question. 

"It  can  be  none  other  than  that  I  have  peace  and 
quietness — " 

"Ah!  I  understand." 

"And  am  in  thy  presence,  listening  to  thy  words, 
and  exchanging  thoughts  with  thee." 

"It  cannot  be—" 

Fielding  seized  the  arm  of  Edith  Prescott,  springing 


THE  RED  PLUME  299 

to  his  feet  at  the  same  time,  and  threw  her  forward 
with  great  violence,  but  still  retaining  his  grip  upon 
her  arm,  prevented  her  from  falling.  Startled  and  be- 
wildered, she  turned  her  head  to  see  what  it  meant, 
when  she  observed  him  stamping  his  right  heel  upon 
the  ground,  with  a  furious  vigor,  and  with  a  glowing 
face  that  showed  that  his  fury  was  fairly  roused. 

Then  as  she  looked,  she  saw  something  writhing 
under  his  heel,  and  only  a  second  glance  was  needed 
to  reveal  an  enormous  rattlesnake  already  crushed  out 
of  all  semblance  of  a  reptile. 

The  crotalus  species,  as  is  well  known,  is  easily 
killed,  and  after  the  first  stamp  or  two,  its  contortions 
nuy  be  said  to  have  been  involuntary.  When  Field- 
ing ceased,  not  a  spark  of  life  remained. 

Then  he  picked  up  the  reptile  upon  a  large  stick, 
and  carrying  it  to  the  edge  of  the  river,  threw  it  in, 
and  when  he  returned  to  Edith  he  was  as  calm  and 
self-possessed  as  ever. 

"Let  us  leave  this  spot,"  he  said,  leading  the  way 
to  a  still  more  retired  nook,  where  not  more  than  a 
dozen  yards  separated  them  from  Augustus  Pipkins, 
although  neither  party  was  aware  of  it.  But  there 
was  little  probability  of  either  disturbing  the  other, 
as  peculiar  circumstances  surrounded  both. 

"We  must  be  careful,"  said  Fielding,  "for  it  is  a 
general  belief  that  if  you  find  one  of  these  serpents, 
you  are  certain  to  find  another  at  no  great  distance." 


300  THE  RED  PLUME 

"How  came  you  to  see  him?"  inquired  Edith,  who 
had  hardly  recovered  from  her  agitation. 

"Didn't  thou  hear  the  whirr  of  his  rattle?" 

"I  heard  nothing  at  all." 

"That  rustling  which  first  caught  thy  ear  was  made 
by  the  reptile  as  he  lay  coiled  under  the  bush  close  by 
us.  Neither  of  us  saw  him,  for  we  had  no  suspicion 
that  so  dangerous  a  creature  was  so  near,  and  it  was 
too  small  to  conceal  anything  larger.  While  thou 
wert  speaking,  I  heard  the  rattle,  and  when  I  looked 
up  its  head  was  drawn  back  to  strike  thee,  but  thou 
escaped  just  in  time.  The  rattlesnake  is  a  sluggish 
creature,  and  it  was  an  easy  matter  for  me  to  kill  him 
before  he  could  recover  himself." 

"And,  under  Heaven,  you  saved  my  life,  and  I 
thank  you,"  said  Edith,  laying  her  hand  within  that 
of  his,  while  her  dark  eyes  filled  with  tears,  and  spoke 
far  more  eloquently  than  did  her  mouth,  when  she 
uttered  these  words. 

When  she  attempted  to  withdraw  her  hand,  it  was 
held  fast,  and  the  two  looked  into  each  other's  counte- 
nance for  a  moment  without  speaking.  They  saw  eye 
to  eye. 

There  is  feeling  too  deep  for  words,  and  it  was  such 
that  swayed  the  hearts  of  these  lovers,  as  they  gazed 
through  the  windows  of  the  soul,"  and  saw  an  affec- 
tion, profound,  pure  and  fervent,  such  as  neither  had 
scarcely  suspected  until  now,  but  the  revelation  of 


THE  RED  PLUME  301 

which  gave  to  both  a  pleasure  such  as  had  scarcely 
ever  entered  their  dreams. 

They  understood  each  other.  The  strong-,  manly 
heart  of  Fielding,  the  Quaker,  overflowed  with  love 
for  the  queenly  Edith  Prescott,  and  hers  was  filled  with 
the  same  emotion — as  deep,  as  pure  and  as  profound. 

But  while  she  gazed,  her  eyes  dimmed  from  the 
gathering  moisture,  and  her  sight  grew  indistinct. 
Then  she  felt  something  drawing  her  gently  toward 
him  who  was  at  her  side,  and  when  her  head  rested,  it 
was  upon  the  shoulder  of  him  who  felt  that  he  gladly 
would  have  held  it  there  forever. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

AN   UNSUCCESSFUL  WOOING. 

Augustus  Pipkins  looked  upon  himself  as  thor- 
oughly refreshed.  He  had  undergone  a  night  of  ter- 
rible watching  and  labor — that  is,  all  that  had  been 
spent  in  watching  and  labor;  but  the  few  hours  ob- 
tained in  the  way  of  rest,  he  was  convinced  were  all 
that  he  required. 

"Because  if  they  were  not,"  he  reasoned  with  him- 
self, as  he  thoughtfully  drew  his  hand  across  his  mass- 
ive forehead,  "then  I  should  still  feel  the  languor  of 
insidious  coma.  That  I  consider  as  plain  as  a  theorem 
in  Euclid,  and  considerably  plainer,  if  it  is  expected 
that  I  am  to  comprehend  it." 

He  walked  meditatively  along  a  short  distance 
further,  and  then,  as  usual,  gave  utterance  to  his 
thoughts. 

"If  I  can  only  bring  myself  to  believe  that  this  is  a 
quiet  pic-nic  that  I  am  on  with  the  boys,  that  there  is 
an  abundance  of  champagne  along,  and  that  I  am  nobly 
denying  myself  the  indulgence  of  it,  why  it  won't  be 
so  bad  but  what  I  may  expect  some  enjoyment  from  it; 
I  can  look  upon  myself  as  quite  a  hero — hello !" 

Just  then  he  caught  sight  of  Fielding  and  Edith,    as 

302 


THE  RED  PLUME  303 

they  sat  with  their  backs  toward  him.  He  paused  a 
moment,  and  then  walked  on. 

"It's  a  pity  they  don't  speak  a  little  louder,  for,  as  it 
is,  I  am  unable  to  distinguish  their  words — but  that 
looks  rather  spooney  to  me." 

He  walked  on  in  the  same  thoughtful  manner,  but 
seemed  in  a  very  serene  frame  of  mind. 

"However,  I  have  no  objection  to  Edith  taking  up 
with  the  Quaker  if  she  wants  him,  as  he  is  a  man  of 
good  moral  character,  so  far  as  I  can  learn.  It's  a 
pity,  however,  that  he  isn't  engaged  in  the  insurance 
business,  so  as  to  have  something  upon  which  to  rely 
to  support  my  cousin  in  the  style  she  ought  to  have. 
Life  insurance  and  school-book  agencies  are  essen- 
tially the  American  professions.  Everybody  is  going 
into  them,  and  everybody  is  making  money  excepting 
me,  on  my  eight  dollars — but  when  I  get  back  to  Chi- 
cago, if  I  don't  strike  out  on  my  own  hook,  it'll  be 
because  I  change  my  mind." 

It  so  happened  that  Pipkins  directed  his  footsteps 
toward  the  spot  which  was  the  scene  of  Lillian's  nar- 
row escape  from  the  bullet  of  the  vengeful  Sioux.  Ap- 
pearing as  if  it  were  as  secluded  a  place  as  he  could 
find,  he  spread  his  handkerchief  upon  the  grass,  sat 
down  upon  it  and  began  to  smoke  and  "meditate." 

And  just  as  he  did  so,  he  observed  a  piece  of  paper 
folded  and  lying  upon  the  ground.  By  way  of  joking 
with  himself,  he  whistled  and  beckoned  with  his  fore- 


304  THE  RED  PLUME 

finger  for  it  to  approach.  Then  he  leaned  forward, 
and  as  he  picked  it  up,  observed  that  it  was  a  letter. 

"Directed  to  Lillian  Prescott,  too,"  he  repeated,  in 
some  surprise,  as  he  turned  it  over  in  his  hand.  "That 
isn't  my  handwriting,  I'm  sure,  because  I  can't  write  as 
well  as  that,  for  all  I  am  a  clerk  in  an  insurance  office." 

He  held  it  close  and  far  from  his  eyes,  but  he  could 
not  remember  that  he  had  ever  seen  anything  like  it 
before. 

"I  should  like  to  know  who  has  had  the  impudence 
to  write  to  her,"  he  muttered,  somewhat  indignant. 
"She  is  to  be  my  wife;  that's  all  settled.  I  haven't 
asked  her  yet,  but  there's  no  danger  of  her  refusing.  I 
never  saw  a  girl  yet  that  wouldn't  jump  at  the  first 
offer,  and  I  don't  believe  there  is  a  female  living  that 
would  refuse  me.  (That's  between  me  and  myself, 
of  course)." 

Nevertheless  the  young  gentleman  was  sincere  in 
what  he  had  uttered,  although  he  had  done  it  so 
secretly. 

"That  being  the  case,"  he  added,  "it's  my  duty  to 
oversee  her  correspondence  as  far  as  possible." 

Whereupon  he  very  deliberately  opened  Colonel 
Havens'  letter,  and  read  it  from  beginning  to  end.  He 
was  not  only  surprised  but  furiously  enraged,  that  any 
one  should  presume  to  address  her,  especially  when 
the  "tender  ties"  that  existed  between  the  two. 
the  letter  itself  proved  that  the  writer  was  aware  of 


THE  RED  PLUME  305 

"The  scoundrel!"  he  exclaimed,  clinching  his  fists; 
"if  I  ever  meet  him,  I'll  chastise  him.  I'll  teach  him 
how  to  interfere  between  a  young  couple  devoted  to 
each  other.  It's  time  he  learned  the  danger  of  doing 
so.  Here  he  has  been  like  the  serpent  that,  after  being 
warmed,  turned  about  and  bit  you.  Such  is  the  in- 
gratitude of  the  world!" 

Pipkins  carefully  replaced  the  letter  in  the  envelope, 
and  then  put  it  in  his  pocket  and  resumed  smoking, 
the  sober  air  of  thoughtfulness  upon  his  brow  over- 
shadowed by  the  vexation  he  had  suffered  from  the 
discovery. 

A  light  footstep  struck  upon  his  ear,  and  looking 
up,  he  saw  Lillian  approaching,  her  eyes  upon  the 
ground,  and  her  countenance  showing  that  she  was 
disturbed  by  something,  very  manifestly  the  loss  of 
the  letter,  which  at  that  moment  was  carefully  stored 
away  in  the  breast  pocket  of  Mr.  Pipkins'  coat. 

She  did  not  look  up  until  only  a  few  feet  separated 
them,  and  then  she  stopped  short,  with  a  slight  ex- 
clamation of  alarm. 

"O,  cousin!  how  you  frightened  me!"  she  ex- 
claimed, with  a  laugh. 

"Is  there  anything  very  terrifying  in   my  appear- 
ance?"   he    inquired,  in  his  cool,  self-possessed  manner. 
Nothing,    whatever;    but    anything    would     have 
alarmed  me." 

"What  brought  you  here?"  he  asked,  well  satisfied 
of  her  real  object. 


306  THE  RED  PLUME 

"I  was  looking  for  a  letter  that  I  must  have  dropped. 
Have  you  seen  anything  of  it?" 

"Whom  was  it  from?"  inquired  Pipkins,  endeavor- 
to  put  on  as  stern  a  look  as  possible. 

"From  a  friend,"  she  replied  in  the  careless  tones  of 
indifference,  looking  about  her  upon  the  grass.  "It  is 
not  of  much  importance,  but  I  should  be  sorry  to  have  it 
fall  into  the  hands  of  any  one  else." 

"Lillian,"  said  her  cousin,  in  the  tones  of  a  judge 
about  pronouncing  sentence,  "sit  down  here  a  few  mo- 
ments. I've  got  something  to  say  to  you." 

The  girl  looked  wonderingly  at  him,  not  dreaming 
that  he  was  really  serious.  He  had  such  a  way  of  af- 
recting  a  solemnity  when  in  the  most  trifling  of  moods, 
that  she  was  sure  such  was  the  case  now.  She  unhesi- 
tatingly took  her  seat  beside  him,  as  she  would  havt; 
done  were  he  her  brother. 

They  sat  in  silence  a  few  moments,  during  which 
she  wondered  what  was  coming,  and  he  slowly  puffed 
his  meerschaum,  languidly  rowing  away  the  smoke  with 
his  hand,  as  it  kept  drifting  continuously  into  the  face 
of  the  girl  beside  him.  Finally  he  removed  the  amber 
from  his  mouth. 

"Lillian,  dear,  will  you  answer  me  a  few  questions?" 
he  asked,  in  a  low,  sad  voice. 

"Did  I  ever  refuse  you?" 

"Don't  know  as  you  did,  and  I  hope  you  won't 
now." 

"Not  if  I  am  able  to  enlighten  you." 


THE  RED  PLUME  307 

"Do  you  know  a  young  man  named  Havens?  George 
Havens,  I  think.  I  believe  he  is  a  corporal  or  sergeant 
in  the  army." 

Lillian  was  at  a  loss  to  understand  the  meaning  of 
this  question;  but  believing  that  her  cousin  was  jesting 
under  the  garb  of  seriousness,  she  answered  with  scarcely 
a  second's  hesitation. 

"You  mean  Colonel  Havens.  Of  course,  we  all  know 
him !" 

"What  sort  of  a  fellow  is  he?" 

"Brave,  handsome,  gallant,  talented  and  chival- 
rous." 

Pipkins  turned  toward  her  in  amazement. 

"Wouldn't  you  like  to  hunt  up  a  few  more  adjectives? 
1  don't  think  those  are  expressive  enough." 

"They  express  my  meaning,"  she  replied,  with  some- 
thing of  her  coquettish  manner,  and  with  a  buoyancy  of 
spirits  to  which  she  had  been  a  stranger  a  long  time. 
"Do  you  wish  me  to  be  more  explicit  ?" 

"Not  at  all;  fact  is  you  are  too  explicit  altogether. 
But  why  do  you  admire  this  fellow?" 

"For  the  same  reason  they  all  do,  he  deserves  it." 

"Are  you  sure  of  that?" 

This  question  was  one  of  those  "fearfully  mys- 
terious" ones  that  are  intended  tq  imply  a  great  deal. 
By  the  figure  of  litotes  it  may  be  said  that  it  meant  to 
inform  his  companion  that  she  could  not  be  certain  of 
such  a  thing;  but  for  all  that  she  answered  unhesitat- 
ingly. 


308  THE  RED  PLUME 

"Yes,  sir;  I  am  sure  of  it!" 

"I  ain't." 

"That  is  all  very  natural,  for  you  have  no  acquain- 
tance with  him.  In  such  a  case  you  ought  to  take  my 
word  for  it." 

"Umph!  that's  cool!"  reflected  Pipkins;  "she  is  as 
independent  as  if  she  cared  nothing  for  me.  She  hasn't 
learned  to  understand  me  yet.  She  doesn't  know  what 
a  terrible  nature  I  have  when  aroused."  Then,  turning 
to  her: 

"Lillian,  to  tell  you  the  plain  truth,  I  have  reason  to 
believe  that  this  Corporal  Havens — " 

"Colonel  Havens—" 

"Is  altogether  unworthy  of  your  love — I  should  say 
esteem." 

"What  reason  have  you  for  saying  so?" 

"I  have  it  from  good  authority  that  he  is — that  he 
is — that  is,  real  cowardly — a  veritable  poltroon." 

"What  is  your  authority?" 

Lillian  fired  her  questions  with  such  bewildering  swift- 
ness, that  poor  Pipkins  was  unable  to  answer  with 
promptness,  and  he  regretted  that  he  hadn't  "prepared" 
himself  for  this  business. 

"Why — let  me  see — Colonel  Jones,  of  Chicago." 

"Where  did  he  learn  it?" 

"He  was  with  him  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run." 

"Are  you  sure  that  that  was  the  battle?" 

"Certain  of  it,"  replied  Pipkins,  determined  to  stick 
to  this  point  at  least,  now  that  he  had  made  it. 


THE  RED  PLUME  309 

"It  was  at  no  other  battle?" 

"No  other." 

"You  are  sure  it  was  Bull  Run?" 

"Absolutely  certain." 

Lillian  laughed — that  clear,  rippling  laugh  of  hers. 
A  shudder  of  apprehension  ran  over  Pipkins  when  he 
heard  it.  He  felt  like  the  soldier  who  hears  the  pinging 
over  his  head. 

"I  do  not  see  what  there  is  to  laugh  at." 

"Colonel  Havens  was  not  in  that  battle" 

It  took  fully  a  minute  before  Pipkins  could  recover 
from  the  shock  of  this  reply,  which  was  intensified  by 
that  silvery,  rippling  laugh  of  Lillian,  who  thoroughly 
enjoyed  the  discomfiture  of  her  cousin.  He  cleared  his 
throat,  and  drew  his  hand  across  his  brow,  as  if  striving 
to  awaken  recollection,  and  finally  said : 

"Let  me  see;  by  Jingo!  I  was  mistaken." 

"Then  you  ought  to  apologize  to  Colonel  Havens." 

"Confound  it!  that  ain't  what  I  mean.  I  recollect 
now  that  it  was  not  Bull  Run,  but  some  other  battle." 

"What  other  battle?" 

But  Pipkins  was  not  to  be  caught  again. 

"I  have  forgotten,  I  declare.  It  was  on  my  tongue, 
but  I  cannot  recall  it." 

Again  that  laugh  of  Lillian's  rang  out  upon  the  air, 
and  Pipkins  began  to  feel  as  though  he  had  been  de- 
tected in  something  of  which  he  ought  to  be  ashamed. 

"It  won't  do,"  said  Lillian,  as  soon  as  she  could  com- 
mand her  voice.  "I  don't  believe  a  word  you  say!" 


310  THE  RED  PLUME 

"Well,  I  consider  that  an  insulting  insinuation — " 

"Who  cares  if  you  do?" 

And  the  eyes  of  the  "airy,  fairy  girl"  sparkled  so 
roguishly  and  her  face  glowed  with  such  merriment,  that 
the  young  man  found  it  impossible  to  bluster,  and  smiled 
in  spite  of  himself. 

"Can  you  not  be  serious?"  he  asked. 

"Certainly  I  can,  if  there  be  any  reason." 

"I  have  something  to  say  to  you — something  in  which 
you  are  or  ought  to  be  interested,  and  I  hope  you  will 
listen." 

"Now  speak  the  truth,  'Dolph,  and  none  can  be  more 
respectful  than  you  will  find  me." 

"Are  you  engaged  to  be  married  to  Colonel 
Havens?" 

"What  a  question!"  she  exclaimed,  with  a  laugh;  but, 
at  the  same  time,  the  painful  thrill  shot  through 
her  heart  at  the  remembrance  of  the  parting,  and  of 
the  letter  which  had  come  to  her  in  the  darkness  of  the 
night. 

"But  you  haven't  answered  it,"  he  persisted. 

"If  you  are  serious  in  asking  your  question,  then  I  can 
say  no — nor  ever  have  been." 

"For  all  that,  he  loves  you." 

It  was  singular  to  Lillian  that  she  should  feel  such 
pleasure  at  this  remark,  even  though  it  came  from  such 
poor  authority  as  her  cousin. 

"How  do  you  know  that?"  she  asked,  impulsively. 

"His  letter  shows  it." 


THE  RED  PLUME  311 

"What  do  you  mean?"  demanded  Lillian,  her  face 
flushing  with  indignation.  "What  letter  shows  it?" 

Pipkins  very  cooly  drew  the  missive  from  his  pocket 
— that  missive  which  had  caused  her  so  much  sadness, 
and  for  which  she  had  been  searching  so  long. 

"I  understand  human  nature  well  enough,"  he  added, 
"to  see  that  that  fellow  is  fairly  beside  himself  with 
love.  If  you  don't  believe  it,  I  will  read  this  letter  out 
before  all  upon  the  island,  and  see  whether  they  don't 
agree  with  me." 

Pipkins  was  proceeding  to  unfold  the  letter,  for  the 
purpose  of  indicating  some  "particular  passage,"  when 
Lillian,  thoroughly  out  of  temper,  demanded  it  of  him 
in  such  an  unmistakable  manner  that  he  could  not  re- 
fuse it. 

"What  business  have  you  to  read  my  letter?"  she 
asked,  all  the  laughter  and  merriment  gone  from  her 
eyes,  from  which  she  was  scarcely  able  to  keep  back  the 
tears  of  vexation. 

Feeling  that  it  was  incumbent  upon  him  to  demon- 
strate the  lofty  wisdom  of  his  course  in  this  matter, 
Pipkins  roused  himself,  and  said,  earnestly: 

"Lillian,  it  was  my  place  to  do  so.  You  are  the  one 
who  have  acted  wrong  in  not  bringing  it  to  me  in  the 
first  place.  /  am  the  one  who  ought  to  have  read  it 
first." 

The  consummate  assurance  of  the  man  was  so  great 
as  partly  to  dispel  the  anger  of  Lillian.  His  last  re- 
mark proved  that  he  was  scarcely  worth  the  dignity  of 


312  THE  RED  PLUME 

indignation.  She  carefully  replaced  the  letter,  and  rose 
to  go. 

"Hold  on!  I  ain't  through  with  you  yet,"  he  called 
out;  and,  wondering  what  he  could  mean,  she  remained 
seated,  and  looked  inquiringly  at  him. 

"You  mustn't  forget  the  situation  in  which  you  are 
placed,"  he  began,  with  all  the  solemnity  at  his  com- 
mand. "I  must  compliment  you,  madam,  on  notify- 
ing him  of  my  prior  claim  upon  you;  and  I  only  hope 
you  will  ever  act  in  such  a  manner  that  he  cannot  fail 
to  see  it.  I  will  call  him  to  account  for  this  imperti- 
nence— " 

When  Fielding  affirmed  that  the  poisonous  serpent 
which  he  killed  had  its  companion  somewhere  in  the 
vicinity  he  spoke  the  truth,  for,  at  this  juncture,  Pip- 
kins detected  it  gliding  over  the  ground  only  a  few  feet 
from  where  the  two  were  sitting.  With  a  gasp  of 
horror,  he  pointed  his  finger  toward  the  horrid  object. 
Neither  dared  stir,  for  fear  of  alarming  the  reptile  and 
inviting  its  deadly  blow. 

The  rattlesnake  slowly  glided  over  the  grass  and 
leaves  until  nearly  opposite  where  they  sat,  when  it 
elevated  its  head,  waved  it  back  and  forth,  and  then 
went  into  a  coil. 

It  was  so  far  away  that  there  was  no  danger  of  its 
striking  them  so  long  as  each  party  maintained  its  rela- 
tive position ;  but  the  trouble  was  that  it  had  cut  off  their 
line  of  retreat. 

Immediately  behind  them  was  the  river,  and  it  was 


THE  RED  PLUME 


313 


impossible  to  leave  the  spot  without  approaching  closer 
to  the  poisonous  reptile;  but  both  edged  as  far  away  as 
they  could  without  entering  the  water  itself. 

"By  jingo!  here's  a  go!"  muttered  Pipkins,  when  in 
some  measure  he  had  become  accustomed  to  the  danger. 
"What  shall  we  do,  Lillian?" 

"Call  for  help." 

"Don't  you  try  it.  Just  as  like  as  not,  if  you  open 
your  mouth  he'll  make  a  dive  at  you,  and  then  it'll  be 
all  up  with  you !" 

"I  cannot  remain  here  in  the  presence  of  that  dread- 
ful creature.  I  would  rather  step  into  the  river,  and 
•pass  around  out  of  its  way." 

"And  get  another  shot  from  one  of  the  redskins  on  the 
shore." 

Lillian  recalled  that  this  was  the  very  spot  where  she 
had  so  narrowly  escaped  death  a  short  time  before,  and 
she  shuddered  at  the  thought. 

To  retreat  or  to  advance  was  death.  They  were  in  a 
dilemma,  indeed! 

"We  cannot  save  ourselves,"  said  Lillian.  "There 
must  be  some  one  near  at  hand,  and  I  will  not  call  too 
loud." 

"Don't  do  it  just  yet,"  Pipkins  hastened  to  say,  "Like 
enough  it  will  take  a  notion  to  move  off.  Confound  it! 
why  did  it  stop  just  there?" 

"Is  there  no  stone  or  stick  that  you  can  throw  at  it?" 
inquired  Lillian,  who  began  to  think  it  was  time  her 
companion  did  something  to  protect  them  both. 


314  THE  RED  PLUME 

"That's  what  I've  been  looking  for,"  he  replied,  gaz- 
ing down  at  the  ground;  "but  I  don't  see  anything  suit- 
able." 

"If  Colonel  Havens  were  here,  he  would  have  killed 
the  reptile  on  the  instant." 

This  fired  up  Pipkins,  who  broke  a  stick  from  a  branch 
overhead,  and  advanced  resolutely  to  the  assault;  but 
he  took  good  care  not  to  approach  too  close.  Brandish- 
ing it  overhead,  he  circled  around  the  reptile,  fearful  of 
coming  near  enough  to  strike,  but  keeping  his  eye  upon 
his  enemy  all  the  time. 

While  circling  in  this  manner  his  foot  struck  a  stone, 
which  he  picked  up,  and  hurled  at  the  elevated  head  of 
the  rattlesnake.  Fortunately  the  missile  went  straight, 
and  struck  the  very  point  at  which  it  was  aimed.  The 
reptile  writhed  and  twisted  over  and  over  upon  itself 
fiercely  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  lay  motionless  in 
death. 

Very  naturally,  Pipkins  was  elated  over  the  success 
of  his  demonstration  against  their  foe,  and  demanded  of 
Lillian  whether  is  was  not  well  done. 

"Very  well,  indeed,"  she  replied,  "and  I  am  grateful 
for  our  escape.  But  I  begin  to  feel  a  terror  for  this 
spot.  Already  death  has  threatened  me  twice,  and  let 
us  stay  here  no  longer." 

"Where  shall  we  go?"  asked  her  cousin,  halting 
after  they  had  passed  beyond  the  vicinity  of  the  reptile. 

"Back  to  the  camp,  where  father  and  mother  are." 


THE  RED  PLUME  315 

"But  I  had  something  more  to  say  to  you.  I  had  not 
said  all  that  I  wished  to,"  he  replied. 

"You  said  enough." 

He  looked  earnestly  at  her;  but  she  was  in  no  mood 
to  be  trifled  with,  and  so  he  was  compelled  to  follow 
her  back  to  camp. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

THE  RAFT 

WHEN  noon  came,  the  heat  upon  the  island  was  op- 
pressive. Even  the  thick  shade  of  the  trees  and  under- 
growth could  not  protect  our  friends  from  its  enervat- 
ing effects,  and  little  was  done  except  to  loung  upon 
the  grass  and  languidly  converse  upon  the  ever-important 
matter  of  their  escape  from  the  island. 

At  meridian  there  was  no  one  who  asked  for  food 
excepting  Cato.  The  substantial  character  of  the  pre- 
vious meals  and  the  warmth  of  the  day  were  such  that 
it  was  hardly  natural  that  they  should  feel  any  degree 
of  hunger;  and  the  pleasure  of  the  coming  dinner  was 
somewhat  marred  by  the  knowledge  that  it  was  to  be 
of  the  same  character  as  the  meals  already  taken.  No 
food  had  been  brought  with  them,  and  were  is  not  for 
the  piscatorial  skill  of  old  Jud,  they  would  have  been 
in  a  sad  condition  indeed. 

The  scout  kept  up  his  ceaseless  tramp  over  the  island 
and  his  vigilant  scrutiny  of  the  shores.  More  than  once 
he  had  detected  signs  of  his  enemies,  but  they  evi- 
dently contemplated  no  movement  or  demonstration  dur- 
ing the  day  time,  or  at  least  while  they  were  watched 

with  such  tireless  sharpness. 

316 


THE  RED  PLUME  317 

Captain  Swarthausen  and  Muggins  had  enjoyed  a 
very  interesting  conversation,  until  they  had  tired 
themselves  out,  and  they  only  exchanged  words  semi- 
occasionally.  Fielding  was  reclining  on  the  ground 
close  to  Edith  Prescott  and  her  mother,  both  of  whom 
were  listening  to  his  words,  or  exchanging  questions 
and  answers  with  him.  Quiet  and  self-possessed,  and 
well-informed,  he  was  always  able  to  interest  his  audi- 
tors. 

Lillian,  when  she  returned  with  Pipkins,  seated  her- 
self near  her  mother  and  sister,  and  joined  in  the  gen- 
eral conversation,  while  the  young  gentleman  himself 
relit  his  pipe,  smoked  harder  than  ever,  and  employed 
himself  in  "meditations"  of  the  most  decided  kind.  Mat- 
ters were  not  in  the  precise  shape  to  suit  him,  and  he 
was  endeavoring  to  decide  himself  as  to  how  he  was  to 
right  them. 

It  was  no  easy  matter  to  settle  this  point,  for  he  could 
not  but  admit  that  his  cousin  Lillian  had  quite  a  will  and 
temper  of  her  own,  and  when  she  chose  to  assert  it,  she 
did  it  in  a  manner  that  was  unmistakable.  He  had  just 
had  an  exhibition  that  confirmed  that  point. 

In  his  wanderings  to  and  fro,  Jud  Jenkins  occasion- 
ally found  time  to  saunter  up  to  the  camp  of  the  fugi- 
tives and  exchange  a  few  words  with  them. 

It  was  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  when  he 
seated  himself  near  them,  with  the  remark  that  it  was 
one  of  the  warmest  days  he  had  ever  experienced,  and 
he  added: 


318  THE  RED  PLUME 

"I  am  powerful  glad  of  it,  too." 

"I  can't  say  that  I  am,"  replied  Captain  Swart- 
hausen.  "I  don't  particularly  enjoy  this  climate,  either 
when  the  thermometer  gets  up  close  to  a  hundred,  or 
down  to  twenty  and  thirty  degrees  below  zero,  as  it  did 
last  winter." 

"I  don't  say  that  1  enj'y  it  either,  but  if  there  don't 
come  a  reg'lar  screamer  of  a  storm,  I  don't  see  much 
chance  of  getting  off  this  place." 

"Ah!  I  understand.  You  think  this  will  bring  the 
storm." 

"Very  likely;  when  you  see  such  a  hot  day  as  this,  so 
fur  north,  it's  purty  sure  to  kick  up  a  rumpus  among  the 
elements,  and  bring  the  rain  and  darkness." 

"We  can  do  without  the  rain,"  said  Pipkins;  "but  I 
understand  that  it  is  the  darkness  you  want  so  bad." 

"Just  that;  but  we  won't  be  likely  to  get  one  without 
t'other." 

"When  I  took  my  last  peep  at  the  sky,  it  seemed  clear 
as  at  this  morning,"  replied  Captain  Swarthausen. 

"That  don't  make  no  difference.  If  I  am  not  mistook, 
there  will  be  one  of  the  biggest  kind — " 

As  if  in  confirmation  of  the  declaration  that  was  upon 
the  lips  of  the  scout,  the  faint  rumble  of  distant  thunder 
was  heard  at  this  moment,  and  the  faces  of  all  brightened 
on  the  instant. 

"It's  coming,  sure !"  added  Jud.  "That's  what  I  have 
been  waiting  for  for  the  last  hour." 

"Do  you  observe  that  also?"  asked  the  captain. 


THE  RED  PLUME  319 

A  breeze  was  heard  stirring  the  branches  overhead, 
and  its  grateful  coolness  even  touched  the  perspiring  faces 
of  the  fugitives  below,  and  then  came  another  faint  mut- 
tering of  thunder. 

"It  will  be  a  terrible  storm  when  it  does  come,"  said 
the  officer;  "the  air  is  full  of  electricity.  What's 
that?" 

A  dull,  increasing  roar  was  heard,  like  the  coming  of 
a  tornado;  but  it  lasted  but  a  moment,  when  it  termi- 
nated in  a  crash  that  seemed  to  shake  the  very  ground 
upon  which  they  stood. 

"What  under  heavens  can  that  be?"  asked  Pipkins. 
"It  was  somewhere  on  the  island." 

"It's  a  tree  that  fell — a  tree  that  oughter  stand  a  half 
a  hundred  years  longer." 

"Why,  then,  did  it  fall?" 

"  'Cause  there's  a  storm  comin'.  You  needn't  laugh ; 
it's  allers  so.  I've  laid  in  the  woods  many  a  time  at 
night,  and  heard  tree  after  tree  come  crashin'  to  the 
ground,  and  nobody  can't  tell  what  made  'em,  'cept  the 
storm  coming  through  the  air." 

"But  every  tree  must  fall  some  time,"  said  Captain 
Swarthausen. 

"I  know  as  much  p'raps  about  the  woods  as  any  of 
you,"  said  the  hunter,  somewhat  impatiently,  "and  you 
can't  explain  it  that  way.  I've  seen  the  thing  too  often. 
When  a  tree  comes  tearin'  down  like  that,  in  the  middle 
of  the  day — and  I'll  warrant  you  a  dozen  have  fell  along 


320  THE  RED  PLUME 

shore — you  can  make  up  your  mind  that  it's  a  sign  of  a 
powerful  big  storm. 

The  scout  had  lingered  as  long  as  it  was  prudent, 
and  he  now  left  his  friends  and  walked  to  the  upper  end 
of  the  island,  scrutinized  both  shores,  and  then  ex- 
amined the  fallen  tree,  which  was  comparatively  sound. 
From  his  position  he  could  see  far  above  and  below 
upon  each  side  of  the  stream,  but  nothing  of  a  suspi- 
cious nature  was  detected,  and  he  instinctively  looked 
up  the  river. 

His  experienced  eye  discovered  something  at  once,  but 
so  far  away  that  he  could  only  conjecture  its  character. 
At  first  it  looked  like  some  wild  animal  swimming  down 
stream;  then  he  mentally  compared  it  to  a  canoe,  bottom 
upward ;  but  at  last  he  resolved  it  into  a  sort  of  raft  that 
was  drifting  with  the  current,  and  without  any  propulsive 
power  of  its  own. 

But  from  the  moment  he  first  caught  sight  of  it  he  was 
well  convinced  that  it  was  some  contrivance  of  that  people 
who  never  appear  at  a  loss  for  means  to  mislead  and 
deceive  their  foes;  and,  accordingly  he  kept  his  eye  in- 
tently fixed  upon  it  for  a  long  time,  in  the  expectation 
of  detecting  a  flash  of  the  water  that  might  reveal  the 
hand  of  the  agent  controlling  it. 

However,  no  such  evidence  was  discovered,  and  he 
concluded  that  if  an  enemy  were  really  there,  he  was 
smart  enough  to  give  no  tangible  evidence  of  his  pres- 
ence. 

Suspecting  that  this  might  be  some  artifice  intended 


THE  RED  PLUME  321 

to  withdraw  attention  from  the  lower  part  of  the  island, 
old  Jud  called  to  Captain  Swarthausen,  and  explained 
his  apprehensions,  requesting  him  to  take  his  position 
at  the  lower  point.  This  the  officer  willingly  did,  and 
Muggins  received  permission  to  accompany  him. 

Convinced  that  it  could  now  be  done  with  safety,  the 
hunter  gave  his  whole  attention  to  the  approaching  ob- 
ject, still  looking  for  some  sign  of  human  agency  in  its 
movements,  and  still  failing  to  detect  any,  except  what 
might  be  termed  a  general  evidence. 

Carried  forward  in  the  direction  it  was  now  going,  it 
would  be  sure  to  strand  itself  upon  the  shingle  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  island — a  termination  of  the  voyage 
which  a  Sioux  would  not  be  likely  to  make.  When, 
therefore,  he  observed  it  turning  to  the  right,  slowly  but 
surely,  he  could  no  longer  doubt  the  inspiring  cause  of 
the  whole  thing. 

Jud  raised  his  rifle  and  examined  the  cap. 

"It's  all  right,"  he  muttered;  "when  I  begun  this 
tramping  business,  I  used  the  old  flint-lock,  and  some 
of  the  Hudson  Bay  fellers  stick  to  'em  yet.  Only  let 
me  get  a  chance  at  the  top-knot  of  this  varmint,  and  I'll 
spoil  his  fun  for  him." 

A  nearer  approach  revealed  that  the  raft,  or  whatever 
it  might  be  termed,  consisted  of  two  trees,  with  their 
roots  and  limbs  still  to  them.  The  latter  seemed  in- 
extricably interlocked,  and  between  these  two  the  hunter 
was  certain  that  at  least  one  Indian  was  floating,  with 


322  THE  RED  PLUME 

his  black  orbs  fixed  upon  the  island,  and  with  every 
faculty  on  the  alert. 

As  it  came  opposite  the  point  where  Jud  was  stand- 
ing, he  walked  down  the  shore,  keeping  concealed  within 
the  wood,  but  halting  and  peering  out  upon  the  nonde- 
script every  few  minutes,  until  at  last  the  lowermost  part 
of  the  island  was  reached. 

Not  once  had  a  foe  been  seen;  and  as  it  passed  on 
below  the  land,  he  still  remained  invisible. 

"I'd  like  to  know  what  he  has  larned,  muttered  Jud, 
as  he  brought  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder.  "Howsomever, 
I'll  show  him  that  we  ain't  fools  in  these  parts." 

With  a  quick  aim  he  discharged  his  piece,  burying  the 
bullet  one  of  the  logs,  near  the  centre.  He  had  scarcely 
done  so,  when  the  tufted  head  of  an  Indian  rose  to  view, 
and  he  cast  one  long,  searching  look  toward  him,  and 
disappeared  again  between  the  trunks. 

The  instant  Jud  caught  sight  of  him  he  began  reload- 
ing as  rapidly  as  possible,  but  before  he  could  place  the 
percussion  upon  the  tube,  the  Sioux  had  sunk  down  out 
of  sight,  and  he  was  baffled  again. 

"You  can  go  back  and  tell  the  others  that  there  is  one 
fool  left  here,"  was  the  impatient  exclamation  of  the 
hunter,  at  his  own  discomfiture. 

Had  Red  Plume  been  present  he  would  not  have  re- 
mained on  shore  and  contented  himself  with  firing  at 
the  trees  as  they  floated  by.  He  would  have  dived  un- 
der the  logs  and  engaged  the  Sioux  in  a  submarine  hand- 
to-hand  encounter,  and  the  probability  of  their  being 


THE  RED  PLUME  323 

more  than  one  to  encounter  would  not  have  deterred 
him  for  a  moment. 

Old  Jud  had  done  such  things  himself,  but  as  his 
years  increased,  he  had  acquired  a  certain  degree  of 
caution,  which  caused  him  to  weigh  an  important  ac- 
tion before  undertaking  it.  He  saw  nothing  to  be 
gained  by  the  mere  "sending  under"  of  a  redskin,  ex- 
cept so  far  as  it  should  demonstrate  the  bravery  of  the 
fugitives. 

He  kept  the  raft  in  view  as  it  slowly  worked  its  way 
toward  one  of  the  banks,  until  finally  it  was  lost  to- 
sight. 

Captain  Swarthausen  and  Muggins  had  nothing  to  re- 
port, having  detected  nothing  whatever  of  a  suspicious 
character. 

But,  unexpectedly,  Fielding  had  a  report  to  give. 
When  the  others  were  sent  off  as  sentinels,  he  went  to 
the  eastern  side  of  the  island,  (which  was  the  less 
threatened  side,)  he,  like  old  Jud,  suspecting  that  this 
might  be  a  stratagem  to  cover  some  other  movement  of 
the  aborigines. 

At  the  moment  the  daring  Sioux  lifted  his  head  and 
shoulders  out  of  the  water,  and  the  hunter  was  reload- 
ing with  all  the  speed  possible,  the  Friend  saw  a  large 
canoe  glide  a  short  distance  under  the  bank,  and  then 
a  dozen  Indians  filled  it  with  the  silence  and  celerity  of 
phantoms. 

*  He  suspected  that  they  intended  to  seize  their  oppor- 
tunity and  make  a  dash  for  the  island  while  the  atten- 


324  THE  RED  PLUME 

tion  of  the  fugitives  was  called  in  the  other  direction. 
But  the  rifle-shot  of  the  hunter — over  which  he  lamented 
as  so  useless — seemed  to  deter  them,  and  they  failed  to 
make  the  start. 

Fielding  never  once  took  his  eyes  from  the  singular 
scene,  and  stood  prepared  to  alarm  the  others  the  mo- 
ment it  emerged  from  under  the  bushes.  For  several 
minutes  they  remained  stationary,  and  then  the  canoe 
moved  back  again  to  its  place,  and  every  savage  sprang 
out  of  it  and  disappeared. 

It  was  fortunate  that  this  was  done.  But  for  the  shot 
of  Jud,  it  is  probable  that  a  dash  would  have  been  made 
for  the  island.  While  it  is  hardly  probable  that  the 
Sioux  would  have  succeeded  in  massacring  all  the 
whites,  as  was  their  purpose,  yet,  in  the  desperate  en- 
counter that  would  have  been  thus  precipitated,  it  is 
hardly  possible  that  each  of  our  friends  would  have  es- 
caped unharmed.  It  was,  in  truth,  one  of  the  lost  oppor- 
tunities for  the  aborigines,  which  could  never  again  come 
to  them  in  a  similar  shape. 

When  old  Jud  learned  the  particulars  from  the 
Quaker,  he  complimented  him  on  his  kneenness,  and  re- 
marked that  there  was  still  some  hope  of  his  becoming 
a  tolerable  hunter. 

"What  do  you  think  of  that?"  asked  the  scout,  as  he 
removed  his  cap,  and  allowed  the  stiffening  breeze  to 
blow  upon  his  forehead. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Prescott. 

"That  is  what  I  mean !" 


THE  RED  PLUME 


325 


A  regular  rolling  boom  of  thunder  was  heard  almost 
directly  overhead.  The  rapidly  darkening  sky  gave  the 
woods  the  appearance  of  twilight,  while  the  wind  blew 
almost  without  a  second's  cessation. 

"Will  you  go  without  Red  Plume?"  asked  Captain 
Swarthausen. 

"I  don't  want  to,"  was  the  hesitating  reply. 

"Suppose  he  doesn't  return  for  several  hours  after 
night  sets  in?" 

"What's  the  use  of  'sposing  any  such  thing?"  the 
hunter  asked  petulantly.  "He'll  be  back  here  inside  of 
two  hours,  and  he'll  be  the  guide  in  goin'  down  the  river 
to-night,  and  I'll  foller  with  the  rest  of  you." 

"And  with  these  noble  red  men  that  are  waiting  for 
us  to  start,"  said  Pipkins,  perhaps  revived  by  the  refresh- 
ing cool  wind. 

"Like  enough,"  replied  Jud;  "you  can  be  sartin 
they'll  foller  powerful  close  if  they  think  we've 
started." 


CHAPTER  XXX 

ADRIFT, 

"NiGHT  and  storm,  and  darkness,"  came  together. 
The  distant  booming  of  the  thunder  increased,  coming 
nearer  and  louder,  until  the  clouds  echoed  the  peals. 
The  moon  was  entirely  hid  by  the  dark,  tumultuous 
masses  of  vapor  that  swept  over  its  face.  The  red 
lightning  played  back  and  forth  through  the  black 
masses,  illuminating  them  with  a  vividness  tenfold 
greater  than  at  noonday,  while  the  advancing  rain 
looked  like  the  gleaming  spears  of  an  innumerable 
army. 

As  night  was  closing  in,  and  before  the  bursting  of 
the  storm,  the  scout  had  gathered  his  friends  about  him, 
and  given  them  his  ideas  of  what  would  be  done  during 
the  coming  night.  The  whole  party,  with  the  exception 
of  Red  Plume,  were  to  embark  in  the  larger  boat.  The 
Indian  would  take  the  lead  in  his  canoe,  acting  as  their 
pilot  until  all  danger  was  passed. 

A  general  feeling  of  uneasiness  manifested  itself  at  the 
failure  of  Red  Plume  to  appear,  and  Captain  Swarthausen 
advocated  starting  without  him.  But  he  was  effectually 

326 


THE  RED  PLUME  327 

silenced  by  the  reply  of  the  hunter,  that  if  he  were  present 
at  this  time,  no  start  could  be  made. 

He  explained  by  calling  attention  to  the  lightning, 
which  was  almost  incessant. 

To  embark  at  such  a  time  would  insure  the  certainty 
of  discovery  from  the  Sioux,  and  failure  would  follow, 
no  matter  with  what  skill  the  attempt  was  conducted. 
So  all  that  could  be  done  was  to  wait  until  the  lightning 
had  ceased,  or  so  slackened  as  to  afford  some  oppor- 
tunity for  flight. 

The  boats  were  moored  some  distance  away,  and  fear- 
ful that  they  might  be  blown  loose,  Jud  passed  over  to 
look  at  them. 

He  was  almost  too  late;  for  as  he  came  up,  he  saw 
that  the  larger  boat  was  still  fast,  but  the  canoe  had 
been  torn  free,  and  was  already  a  dozen  feet  out  in  the 
river. 

This  could  not  be  permitted,  and  he  plunged  unhes- 
itatingly in  after  it.  A  few  powerful  strokes  and  he 
laid  one  hand  upon  the  gunwale;  but,  as  he  did  so,  he 
became  sensible  that  the  other  side  was  in  the  grasp  of 
some  one  else,  and  the  thought  of  another  attempt  to 
steal  the  boats  flashed  through  his  mind. 

The  hunter  was  not  unprepared  for  such  a  contest, 
and  he  reached  down  for  his  knife;  but,  at  this  instant, 
an  exclamation  acquainted  him  with  the  fact  that  he 
was  confronted  by  Red  Plume. 

Red  Plume  almost  instantly  came  ashore,  and  the  two 


328  THE  RED  PLUME 

had  an  earnest  conversation  of  several  minutes,  wherein 
the  Indian  revealed  the  following: 

There  were  between  thirty  and  forty  Sioux  Indians, 
including  the  party  who  came  from  the  lake,  and  they 
were  inspired  by  the  most  vindictive  ferocity,  the  desire 
of  the  majority  being  to  massacre  every  one  of  the 
whites  the  moment  they  came  into  their  power.  There 
was  so  much  risk  in  carrying  prisoners,  especially  with 
Red  Plume  and  old  Jud  free  (for  they  looked  upon  it  as 
impossible  to  secure  them),  that  this  seemed  to  be  the 
only  safe  course;  and,  in  case  the  fugitives  were  over- 
powered, there  was  little  doubt  but  this  course  would  be 
adopted. 

One  of  their  chiefs  and  a  number  of  their  best  war- 
riors having  been  slain,  they  could  not  give  over  the 
pursuit  until  these  had  been  avenged.  They  had  already 
been  baffled  so  continually  that  their  impatience  can  be 
readily  understood,  as  well  as  the  reason  why  a  large 
number  advocated  a  charge  upon  them,  without  waiting 
for  darkness  to  assist  them.  They  were  the  ones  whom 
Fielding  has  seen  enter  the  canoe,  and  who  were  only 
turned  back  by  the  sober  second-thought  which  followed 
the  firing  of  old  Jud's  rifle. 

Red  Plume  had  mingled  with  the  Sioux  until  he  had 
learned  fully  their  intention,  which,  as  has  been  inti- 
mated, was  to  steal  upon  the  island  during  the  night, 
and  massacre  all  of  the  fugitives.  They  did  not  forget 
the  probability  of  their  attempting  flight  in  the  dark- 


THE  RED  PLUME 


329 


ness,  and  they  became  remarkably  alert  with  the  de- 
parture of  the  day. 

The  raft  which  floated  by  the  island  and  drew  the  fire 
of  old  Jud  was  an  artifice  to  discover  whether  the  whites 
were  vigilant  enough  to  make  an  attack  unsafe.  The 
result  was  not  satisfactory,  and  there  was  a  movement 
to  send  one  of  the  Indians  and  Lige  with  a  demand  for 
them  to  surrender,  but  with  the  real  purpose  of  ascer- 
taining their  prospective  movements. 

These  messengers  had  not  yet  appeared,  but  Red 
Plume  believed  they  would  come  within  the  next  half 
hour.  The  incessant  play  of  the  lightning  kept  up  such 
an  illumination  of  the  river,  that  it  would  be  impossible 
for  a  boat  to  leave  without  detection. 

When  this  announcement  was  made,  Jud  and  Red 
Plume  rejoined  their  friends,  who,  as  may  be  supposed, 
were  glad  enough  to  see  them  both.  An  explanation  was 
made  of  the  dusky  scout's  continued  absence,  and  the 
probable  coming  of  messengers  from  the  shore. 

Then  all  were  instructed  that,  if  the  messengers  from 
the  shore  made  their  appearance,  no  means  must  be  left 
untried  to  convince  them  that  it  was  their  intention  to 
remain  in  their  present  quarters  until  the  next  day  at 
least. 

The  rain  had  almost  ceased  falling,  but  the  flashing 
of  the  lightning  was  as  incessant  as  ever.  It  had  lost 
its  fierce,  explosive  character,  and  now  flickered  and 
flamed,  as  it  is  sometimes  seen  to  do  when  unaccom- 
panied by  thunder. 


330  THE  RED  PLUME 

Red  Plume,  Jud  and  Captain  Swarthausen  were  watch- 
ing from  the  shore,  when  the  first  announced  that  a 
canoe  had  left  the  mainland,  and  was  approaching.  A 
lightning  flash,  a  second  later,  revealed  a  small  boat, 
containing  the  negro  Lige  and  an  Indian,  swiftly  speed- 
ing across  the  breadth  of  water  that  intervened  between 
the  island  and  shore. 

It  was  allowed  to  approach  undisturbed,  until  it 
reached  land  again,  and  Lige  stepped  out,  while  his 
companion  retained  his  seat. 

The  African  stared  about  him  for  a  moment,  as  if 
waiting  for  the  vivid  light  to  reveal  his  situation;  and, 
at  the  instant  it  came,  old  Jud  called  out,  in  his  gruff 
voice : 

"What  do  you  want?" 

The  negro  started,  and  then  took  a  few  steps  in  the 
direction  of  the  voice. 

"Who  am  dar?" 

"Old  Jud.    What  be  you  after?" 

"De  In j ins  sent  me  ober  to  see  you." 

We  need  not  give  in  detail  the  conversation  that  fol- 
lowed, in  which  Lige  artfully  endeavored  to  persuade 
the  party  to  surrender.  Old  Jud  positively  assuring 
him  that  they  had  no  intention  of  doing  so  until  they 
were  made  to,  he  next  tried  to  find  out  whether  they 
had  any  intention  of  leaving  the  island  in  the  course  of 
the  night.  Of  course,  Jud  gave  him  to  understand  that 
this  they  had  no  intention  of  doing,  as  they  would  be 
in  greater  danger,  he  cunningly  insinuated,  from  the 


THE  RED  PLUME  33! 

Indians  on  the  river  than  on  the  island.  Having  ascer- 
tained all  he  had  been  sent  over  to  find  out,  and  Jud  and 
Cato  proceeding  to  cross-examine  him  rather  unpleas- 
antly as  to  how  he  came  to  be  in  such  high  favor  among 
the  Indians,  Lige,  evidently  ill  at  ease  among  his  former 
friends,  at  every  lightning  flash  edged  nearer  and  nearer 
his  canoe,  until  at  last  he  entered  it ;  and  the  next  glance 
of  him  was  in  the  boat,  far  out  in  the  river,  with  the 
Indian  paddling  with  all  his  strength  and  skill.  They 
speedily  rejoined  their  party,  where  no  doubt  a  graphife 
account  of  the  interview  was  given,  with  the  emphatic 
assurance  that  the  fugitives  proposed  remaining  upon  the 
island  until  the  Sioux  drove  them  from  it. 

They  had  nothing  left  to  do  except  to  await  the  time 
with  patience  when  Red  Plume  should  give  the  word  to 
start. 

Some  excitement  was  created  at  this  juncture  by  hear- 
ing the  Sioux  signalling  to  each  other. 

The  general  belief  was  that  these  calls  were  intended 
to  apprise  each  party  of  the  other's  intentions,  which 
meant  a  simultaneous  advance  upon  the  fugitives  from 
both  sides;  but  Red  Plume,  being  appealed  to,  greatly 
relieved  all  by  assuring  them  that  nothing  of  the  kind 
was  meant.  They  were  meant  to  satisfy  the  leaders  of 
the  Sioux  that  their  followers  were  on  the  alert  and 
ready  for  any  movement. 

A  half  hour  passed,  when  the  signalling  among  the 
Indians  having  by  this  time  ceased,  Red  Plume  gave  the 
word  for  all  to  be  ready  to  enter  the  boat,  being  careful 


332  THE  RED  PLUME 

not  to  do  so  before  the  permission  was  received,  while 
he  started  on  a  hasty  survey  of  the  island  to  learn  whether 
any  of  the  aborigines  had  landed. 

Not  a  gleam  of  lightning  lit  up  the  Stygian  gloom  as 
he  stealthily  made  his  way  through  the  saturated  under- 
growth, but  his  ears  were  as  alive  as  those  of  the  pan- 
ther, and  the  dip  of  a  paddle  would  have  aroused  his 
attention  at  once. 

Nothing,  however,  was  discovered,  and  he  rejoined 
his  friends,  and  gave  the  word,  and  the  next  instant  the 
boats  swept  out  into  the  current,  and  the  eventful  jour- 
ney down  the  river  was  resumed. 

Above,  below,  behind,  in  front,  and  on  either  hand, 
all  was  blank  darkness.  The  Crescent  River,  swelled 
by  the  storm,  flowed  swiftly  down  on  its  winding  way 
toward  the  snowy  waters  of  Hudson  Bay;  the  wild 
wind  howled  and  moaned  from  the  woods  along  the 
shore,  and  not  a  star  was  overhead  to  guide  them  on  the 
way. 

It  was  too  late  to  turn  back,  even  had  they  wished  to 
do  so.  The  Rubicon  was  crossed.  Before  them  lay 
safety  or  death. 

Which  was  it? 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

DOWN    THE   RIVER 

THOSE  were  critical  moments  to  the  fugitives.  Not 
a  word  was  spoken,  even  in  whispers,  and  every  heart 
was  praying  that  this  midnight  blackness  of  the  heav- 
ens might  continue  for  an  hour  more,  or  until  the 
swiftly  flowing  river  had  carried  them  beyond  all  dan- 
ger of  the  Sioux,  who  were  waiting  so  eagerly  for  their 
prey. 

So  dense  was  the  gloom  that  not  one  in  the  larger 
boat  could  discern  the  canoe  of  Red  Plume,  that  was 
scarcely  a  dozen  feet  in  advance. 

Old  Jud  stood  upright  in  the  bow,  with  one  of  the 
oars  in  hand,  but  even  he  was  unable  to  make  out  the 
form  of  his  guide  in  front.  The  Indian  now  and  then 
made  a  slight  plash  with  his  oar,  and  by  this  sound 
alone  was  the  hunter  guided. 

While  it  was  desirable  to  gain  all  the  speed  possible, 
yet  the  boats  drifted  with  the  current  only.  Little  help 
could  be  gained  by  the  use  of  the  oars,  while  there  was 
imminent  risk  of  the  sound  betraying  them  to  the  In- 
dians, who  were  undoubtedly  on  the  river  at  that  very 
moment,  somewhere  in  the  immediate  neighborhood. 

With  every  rod  passed,  the  hopes  of  our  friends  rose 

3?3 


334  THE  RED  PLUMB 

Still  the  boats  and  their  precious  cargoes  swept 
swiftly  down  stream,  and  still  the  utter  blackness  of 
night  continued.  Afar  in  the  sky  there  had  been  one 
or  two  of  the  faintest  flickers  of  lightning,  but  they 
were  mere  scintillations  upon  the  great  world  of  dark- 
ness below,  scarcely  penetrating  the  margin  itself. 

The  wind  blew  very  gently,  and  every  ear  was 
strained  to  the  utmost  for  the  sounds  dreaded  above  all 
others.  When  this  silence  rested  upon  all,  a  faint, 
tremulous  whistle — so  faint  and  uncertain  in  its  char- 
acter, indeed,  that  more  than  one  of  those  who  heard  it 
believed  it  came  from  the  air  above  them — floated  to 
them  on  the  night  air,  and  brought  with  it  the  chill 
which  one  feels  at  the  sure  signal  of  some  swiftly  ap- 
proaching peril. 

At  this  moment,  when  none  of  the  company  expected 
it,  a  powerful,  all-pervading  flash  seemed  to  set  the 
whole  atmosphere  a-flame — shore,  river  and  woods 
standing  out  with  the  distinctness  of  mid-day.  Every 
breath  was  suspended  and  every  arm  paralyzed  for  the 
moment.  So  sudden  was  the  gleam  that  neither  Red 
Plume  nor  old  Jud  gained  a  glimpse  of  the  river  in  the 
rear — the  place  from  which  the  danger  was  appre- 
hended. 

And  out  of  all  the  party  there  was  but  one  who  saw 
the  river  behind  them.  That  one  was  Lillian  Prescott, 
who  by  accident  was  gazing  backward  toward  the  is- 
land, and  who,  in  the  blaze  of  the  lightning,  discerned 
two  canoes  of  Indians  between  her  own  boat  and  the 


THE  RED  PLUMB  335 

island  with  both  of  them  headed  down  stream  and  com- 
ing in  a  direct  line  toward  them. 

Old  Jud  asked  in  a  cautious  whisper : 

"  Did  any  of  you  see  anything  of  the  varmints  ?  " 

Lillian  deemed  it  was  time  for  her  to  say  something, 
and  while  the  others  breathlessly  listened,  she  stated 
that  she  had  observed  two  large  canoes  full  of  Indians 
but  a  short  distance  astern,  coming  directly  after  them. 

"  Qu'ar,"  he  remarked.  "  You're  sure  there  ain't 
no  mistake  about  it  ?  " 

The  girl  could  be  nothing  else  but  certain. 

Old  Jud  in  his  cautious  way  acquainted  Red  Plume 
with  what  Lillian  had  said.  The  hunter  had  observed 
previous  to  this,  that  the  Indian  was  gradually  shying 
off  toward  the  left,  and  he  was  compelled  to  use  his 
paddle  with  considerable  power;  but  now  the  savage 
backed  until  the  boats  touched,  and  then  stooping 
down,  Jud  grasped  the  stern  of  the  little  boat,  and  the 
redskin  began  using  his  paddle  stealthily,  but  with  a 
power  which  was  felt  by  all. 

He  kept  turning  toward  the  left;  for,  if  the  Sioux 
were  so  close  at  hand,  the  only  safety  of  the  fugitives 
consisted  in  keeping  concealed  in  the  friendly  darkness. 
Their  enemies,  not  knowing  where  to  look  for  them, 
would  be  far  more  likely  to  miss  than  to  encounter 
them. 

Another  fact  was  observed  at  this  time  by  the  more 
experienced  of  the  party,  and  it  could  not  but  increase 
their  uneasiness.  Since  the  cessation  of  the  storm  the 


336  THE  RED  PLUME 

sky  had  begun  to  clear  in  a  measure,  and  there  was 
every  prospect  that  there  would  soon  be  sufficient  light 
to  see  objects  on  either  shore  from  the  centre  of  the 
river. 

After  paddling  for  a  few  minutes  in  this  manner,  the 
fugitives  noticed  the  dark  outlines  of  the  trees  upon 
the  western  bank. 

Having  reached  this  point,  Red  Plume  now  rested  on 
his  oars,  and  they  all  drifted  with  the  current  again. 
As  yet  he  had  gained  no  idea  of  the  location  of  his 
enemies,  except  what  was  received  from  Lillian,  and  he 
placed  implicit  reliance  in  what  she  had  affirmed  to  old 
Jud. 

Laying  his  boat  alongside  of  the  larger  one,  the  In- 
dian exchanged  a  few  words  with  the  hunter,  explana- 
tory of  his  intentions,  and  then  he  vanished  in  the  dark- 
ness, his  purpose  being  to  learn  the  whereabouts  of  the 
Sioux. 

Old  Jud  shoved  the  boat  a  little  further  out  into  the 
stream,  so  as  to  be  beyond  danger  of  striking  the  shore, 
and  then  sat  down  where  he  could  say  a  word  or  two  to 
those  near  him.  After  a  little  pause,  passed  in  con- 
jectures as  to  the  result  of  Red  Plume's  hazardous  ex- 
periment, the  sharp  ears  of  the  hunter  detected  some 
suspicious  sound  out  in  the  river,  and  after  attentively 
looking  out  in  that  direction,  they  all  had  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  the  little  canoe  coming  out  of  the  darkness  with 
the  single  Indian  propelling  it. 

The  Sioux  did  not  approach  any  closer  to  his  friends, 
but  taking  a  position  a  rod  or  so  in  advance,  waited  for 


THE  RED  PLUME  337 

the  others  to  follow.  Old  Jud  thought  this  rather  sin- 
gular, as  he  was  quite  anxious  to  hear  his  report  of  the 
situation ;  but  he  knew  there  was  reason  for  it,  and  it 
looked  as  though  there  was  a  necessity  for  haste. 

Accordingly  the  hunter  plied  his  paddle  with  all  the 
skill  and  power  at  his  command.  This  had  no  great 
effect  upon  the  boat  with  its  large  freight,  but  it  served 
to  give  it  the  direction  which  was  necessary. 

Instead  of  keeping  to  the  left  bank,  Red  Plume 
headed  diagonally  across  the  stream,  so  as  to  strike  the 
right  shore.  Old  Jud  followed  him  as  dutifully  as  a 
dog  ever  followed  his  master,  but  he  felt  at  the  same 
time  that  there  was  great  risk  in  attempting  to  cross  a 
stream  like  this,  when  it  was  well  known  that  a  treach- 
erous enemy  was  at  no  great  distance. 

The  river  was  nearly  crossed,  when  a  short,  wolf- 
like  whoop,  came  from  the  shore  they  had  just  left,  and 
Red  Plume  replied  to  it  in  precisely  the  same  tone. 

This  diagonal  direction  Red  Plume  continued  until 
he  had  approached  almost  near  enough  to  the  shore  to 
touch  it,  when  he  began  floating  down  stream  as  before. 

Old  Jud  was  confident  now,  that  the  Indian  would 
row  back  to  him,  and  give  him  some  idea  of  the  move- 
ments of  their  enemies ;  but,  to  his  annoyance  and  sur- 
prise, he  still  kept  his  distance. 

After  drifting  a  half  hour  or  so,  old  Jud  began  to 
feel  somewhat  impatient,  and  he  gave  the  canoe  a  shove 
or  two,  as  a  hint  for  Red  Plume  that  time  was  getting 
too  precious  to  waste  in  this  manner;  but  the  Sioux 
paid  no  heed  to  the  movement,  and  he  and  his  boat 


338  THE  RED  PLUME 

floated  along  as  though  they  were  part  and  parcel  of 
each  other. 

Prescott,  who  was  sitting  near  Jud,  heard  him  mutter 
to  himself : 

"  It's  powerful  queer  what's  got  into  Red  Plume  to- 
night." 

At  this  moment  they  reached  the  mouth  of  quite  a 
broad  creek,  which  put  into  the  Crescent  River  from  the 
right  shore.  It  had  quite  a  moderate  current,  showing 
that,  although  it  discharged  a  large  volume  of  water, 
there  was  but  a  slight  fall  in  it. 

As  soon  as  the  mouth  of  this  was  encountered  the 
Indian  turned  his  canoe,  and  began  paddling  up  stream, 
pausing,  after  he  had  taken  a  few  strokes,  to  beckon  to 
old  Jud  to  follow  him. 

The  hunter  did  so  unhesitatingly,  but  with  a  misgiv- 
ing for  which  he  could  scarcely  account.  Going  in 
opposition  to  the  current,  he  was  enabled  to  make  com- 
paratively little  headway,  and  Red  Plume  seemed  some- 
what impatient,  frequently  paddling  a  short  distance 
in  a  circular  direction,  and  then  signalling  to  the  fugi- 
tives to  follow. 

"  There  must  be  danger,"  said  Prescott,  "  or  he 
would  not  be  in  such  a  hurry." 

Old  Jud  made  no  reply ;  but  those  who  were  watch- 
ing him  at  that  moment  saw  him  suddenly  lay  down 
his  paddle,  and  as  suddenly  catch  up  his  rifle.  The 
next  instant  it  was  discharged,  and  their  Indian  guide 
threw  up  his  arms  with  a  fearful  shriek,  shot  through 
the  heart  by  the  bullet  of  the  hunter. 


CHAPTER   XXXII 

SIOUX  VERSUS  SIOUX 

IT  WOULD  be  impossible  to  describe  the  consternation 
produced  by  the  shot  of  old  Jud.  Prescott  excitedly 
sprang  to  his  feet. 

"My  God!    you  have  killed  Red  Plume!" 

The  hunter  was  then  engaged  in  sweeping  the  bow  of 
the  canoe  around,  and  hastening  the  boat  back  out  of 
the  creek  which  they  had  entered;  but  he  turned  his 
head  so  as  to  reply. 

"Killed  Red  Plume!"  he  repeated,  in  the  husky 
voice  of  passion ;  "  that  ain't  Red  Plume — it's  one  of 
the  varmints  trying  to  lead  us  into  a  trap ! " 

A  shudder  of  terror  shook  all  at  this  astounding 
declaration,  and  the  hunter  bent  furiously  to  his  task. 

"  Where  is  Red  Plume  then?  "  asked  Captain  Swart- 
hausen,  as  soon  as  he  could  recover  himself. 

"  I  don't  know,  and  haint  got  time  to  think ;  but 
I'm  sartin  that  if  we  don't  git  out  here  powerful  soon, 
there  won't  be  a  scalp  left  among  us.  So  don't  bother 
me  with  any  more  questions." 

And  paying  no  heed  to  the  surmisings  of  his  friends, 
he  turned  his  whole  attention  to  the  arduous  work  be- 
fore him,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  the  current,  soon 

339 


340  THE  RED  PLUME 

gives  quite  a  rapid  motion  to  the  boat.  Debouching 
into  the  river,  he  turned  down  stream,  and  continued 
his  progress  at  a  rate  which  all  of  the  company  would 
have  deemed  impossible  until  they  saw  it  done. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  old  Jud  was  perplexed  at 
the  action  of  the  Indian  who  took  the  place  of  Red 
Plume,  but  his  suspicion  was  not  fairly  awakened  until 
the  entering  of  the  creek.  Then  he  was  close  enough 
to  observe  that  the  red  plume  which  distinguished  his 
friend,  and  which  he  had  worn  so  many  years  that  it 
gave  him  his  appellation,  was  wanting ! 

Instantly  the  thought  of  treachery  entered  his  mind, 
and  by  a  powerful  movement  he  approached  nigh 
enough  to  the  canoe  to  gain  a  fair  view  of  its  occu- 
pant. The  result  of  this  deliberation  was  such  as  to 
make  him  certain  of  the  trick  that  was  attempted  upon 
him,  and  in  the  prompt  manner  mentioned  he  gave  the 
daring  Sioux  his  quietus. 

This  singular  interchange  of  canoes  came  about  in 
this  manner: 

When  the  lightning  gleam  revealed  the  Indian  canoe 
to  Lillian  Prescott,  the  boat  containing  the  fugitives 
was  also  seen  by  the  Sioux  themselves.  Not  only  that, 
but  they  detected  Red  Plume  in  his  canoe,  acting  as 
guide.  With  the  readiness  peculiar  to  the  aborigines, 
one  of  the  latter  instantly  originated  a  stratagem, 
which,  if  carried  through  with  nerve  and  skill,  could 
not  fail  to  result  in  the  destruction  of  the  whole  party. 

This  plan  was  simply  to  substitute  himself  in  the 


THE  RED  PLUME  341 

place  of  Red  Plume,  without  attracting  the  suspicion  of 
the  whites. 

The  major  part  of  the  Sioux  were  upon  terra  firma, 
while  about  a  dozen  were  searching  the  river  in  their 
large  canoe.  These  put  into  shore,  where  a  smaller 
canoe  was  secured,  into  which  the  daring  Indian  ven- 
tured, and  then  went  out  upon  the  river  to  await  his 
chance. 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  the  vigilant  Indian  dis- 
covered one  of  the  tiny  vessels  crossing  the  stream  in 
front  of  him,  and  a  little  cautious  manoeuvring  re- 
vealed the  interesting  fact  that  it  was  the  renowned  Red 
Plume  himself,  probably  engaged  in  reconnoitring  the 
river,  and  who  had  so  narrowly  missed  coming  upon 
the  Sioux. 

The  savage  made  his  companions  acquainted  with 
the  condition  of  things,  stated  his  proposed  plan  of 
operations,  and  then  crossed  boldly  over  to  the  other 
shore  to  take  the  place  of  Red  Plume. 

We  have  shown  how  cleverly  this  was  done,  and  how 
it  all  but  succeeded.  It  was  the  intention  of  the  In- 
dians to  decoy  the  fugitives  up  this  creek  quite  a  dis- 
tance, to  the  base  of  a  series  of  rapids,  where  those  upon 
shore  had  congregated,  and  were  waiting,  prepared  to 
massacre  them  all. 

Our  friends  had  actually  entered  the  mouth  of  the 
creek,  as  we  have  already  shown,  when  the  suspicious 
appearance  of  the  head-gear  of  the  guide  awakened  the 
apprehensions  of  old  Jud,  and  the  stratagem,  so  nearly 
successful,  was  discovered. 


342  THE  RED  PLUME 

No  doubt  the  Sioux  were  confident  that  they  had 
successfully  played  a  sharp  trick  upon  their  old  enemy, 
Red  Plume;  but,  before  the  matter  was  ended,  they 
were  compelled  to  modify  their  opinion. 

When  our  dusky  hero  shot  across  the  river,  so  close 
to  the  redskins  that  the  single  one  in  the  canoe  detected 
him,  the  discovery  was  mutual;  and  when  this  daring 
enemy  turned  toward  the  other  shore,  Red  Plume  sus- 
pected what  game  was  up,  and  followed  him  far  enough 
to  make  sure  of  his  purpose. 

"Very  good,"  reflected  the  former;  "if  my  brother 
takes  the  place  of  Red  Plume,  then  will  Red  Plume  take 
the  place  of  his  brother." 

And  he  came  back  and  unhesitatingly  put  himself  in 
the  advance  of  the  hostile  canoe.  The  occupants  of  the 
latter  very  naturally  were  surprised  at  this  unexpected 
return  of  their  champion,  and  made  several  inquiries  as 
to  the  cause.  Red  Plume  replied,  that  the  whole  party 
of  fugitives  were  descending  the  stream,  but  that  the 
time  had  not  yet  come  for  the  exchange  of  situations. 
He  had  little  fear  of  detection,  and  managed  his  case  so 
well  that  no  suspicions  were  excited. 

The  interchange  of  signals,  and  the  action  of  the 
Sioux  when  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  creek  alluded  to, 
gave  Red  Plume  an  inkling  of  the  plan  for  the  massa- 
cre of  the  fugitives,  and  he  therefore  did  his  utmost  to 
draw  them  beyond  the  place.  This  required  consider- 
able delicacy  and  skill,  but  he  succeeded  at  last,  with 
the  assurance  that  they  would  speedily  return.  A  grim 


THE  RED  PLUME  343 

smile  of  triumph  lit  up  his  face  as  he  saw  his  enemies 
drawn  away  from  their  prey. 

Having  drawn  the  Sioux  away  from  the  creek,  Red 
Plume  conducted  them  a  considerable  distance  down 
stream,  when  he  again  left  them,  under  the  pretence  of 
making  another  attempt  to  secure  the  situation  of  guide 
for  the  fugitives. 

In  spite  of  the  confident  assurance  of  old  Jud,  as  he 
plied  his  paddle,  more  than  one  of  his  companions  had 
serious  misgivings  of  its  truth — not  of  the  sincerity  of 
his  belief;  but  there  was  the  shuddering  fear  that  an 
awful  mistake  had  been  committed. 

Great,  therefore,  was  their  relief,  when  the  genuine 
Red  Plume  suddenly  shot  out  of  the  darkness  and  laid 
his  canoe  alongside  the  larger  boat. 

A  few  words  passed  between  old  Jud  and  Red 
Plume,  and  all  was  understood. 

"The  varmints  are  right  below  us,"  said  the  former 
to  his  companions,  as  he  turned  the  bow  of  the  boat 
across  stream  again,  and  renewed  his  labor  with  the 
paddle. 

There  was  a  gradual  increase  of  the  moonlight  which 
was  perceptible  to  all,  and  which  kept  their  fears  con- 
stantly alive,  and  caused  more  than  one  anxious  glance 
back  upon  the  river. 

The  two  parties  were  now  so  close  to  each  other  that 
it  seemed  impossible  that  they  should  much  longer  re- 
main invisible.  Sensible  of  this,  both  Red  Plume  and 
old  Jud  approached  the  other  shore  with  great  care. 


344  THE  &ED  PLUME 

Here  they  were  under  the  disadvantage  of  moving  in 
a  much  slower  current,  which  was  more  than  compen- 
sated by  the  increased  likelihood  of  escaping  discovery; 
but  the  danger  of  this  was  so  imminent  that  at  Red 
Plume's  suggestion,  those  who  possessed  rifles  held 
them  ready  for  instant  use. 

Providentially,  the  result  of  Red  Plume's  stratagem 
was  a  greater  success  than  he  had  dared  to  hope.  When 
he  left  the  Sioux  upon  the  other  side  of  the  river  they 
drifted  slowly  downward  awaiting  his  coming,  and 
growing  somewhat  impatient  at  what,  to  them,  was  a 
causeless  delay. 

But  as  the  time  wore  heavily  away,  and  naught  was 
seen  of  either  Red  Plume  or  their  own  warrior,  a  vague 
idea  of  something  wrong  began  gradually  filtering  into 
their  brains,  and  they  finally  turned  about  and  pursued 
their  way  up  stream  again. 

As  they  did  so,  a  sort  of  wailing  whoop  was  heard 
from  the  direction  of  the  creek,  and  they  paddled  rap- 
idly in  that  direction.  At  the  mouth  of  the  stream  they 
met  a  canoe  containing  three  warriors,  beside  a  fourth, 
who  was  stark  dead  and  stiff  from  the  shot  of  old  Jud. 

The  Indians  at  the  rapids  had  become  uneasy  at  the 
delay,  and  several  of  them,  shortly  after  the  dim  report 
of  the  rifle,  began  moving  down  the  banks  of  the  stream 
to  give  notice  of  the  coming  of  the  boat.  A  consider- 
able distance  away,  they  caught  sight  of  the  canoe  drift- 
ing with  the  current.  They  could  see  the  form  of  an 
Indian  in  it,  but  his  head  was  bowed  on  his  breast,  and 


THE  RED  PLUME  345 

there  was  a  stone-like  quiet  about  him  which  was  ex- 
tremely suggestive.  One  of  the  Sioux  swam  out  to 
him,  when  the  truth  became  speedily  known. 

The  Sioux  saw  that  they  had  been  out-generalled, 
but  they  could  not  fail  to  understand  that  the  fugitives, 
in  all  probability,  were  below  them  in  the  river,  strain- 
ing every  nerve  to  reach  Fort  Grandon  ahead  of  them. 
Accordingly,  they  loaded  the  two  canoes  with  all  that 
they  would  contain,  and  leaving  the  others  upon  the 
shore,  started  in  pursuit. 

Sensible  of  the  value  of  time,  Red  Plume  permitted 
no  further  delay  in  the  progress  of  the  boat.  Hitherto 
there  had  been  no  thought  of  raising  the  sail,  as  with 
their  enemies  anywhere  in  the  vicinity,  such  a  conspicu- 
ous object  would  have  insured  discovery;  but  that  ob- 
jection had  vanished  with  the  widening  distance  be- 
tween pursuer  and  pursued,  and  when  Captain  Swart- 
hausen  proposed  it  to  Jud,  he  replied: 

"  Just  what  I  war  goin'  to  do." 

"  Does  Red  Plume  think  it  advisable?  " 

"  He  told  me  to  do  it,  some  time  ago." 

It  required  but  a  few  minutes  to  put  the  mast  in  posi- 
tion and  elevate  the  sail.  There  was  quite  a  brisk  wind 
sweeping  down  the  river,  so  that  all  circumstances  were 
favorable,  and  the  fugitives  swept  southward  at  a  much 
greater  rate  than  the  powerful  limbs  of  the  hunter  could 
drive  them  with  the  paddle. 

So  soon  as  they  were  fairly  under  way  Red  Plume 
again  left  his  friends,  and  glided  ahead  and  out  into  the 


346  THE  RED  PLUME 

river,  where  he  would  be  more  likely  to  detect  the  ap- 
proach of  danger. 

Old  Jud,  pretty  well  exhausted  from  his  great  labor, 
seated  himself  upon  the  gunwale  for  a  breathing  spell. 
The  night  was  warm  and  close,  and  the  cool  air,  as  it 
fanned  their  faces,  was  refreshingly  pleasant. 

The  boats  proceeded  rapidly  onward,  and  our  friends 
passed  the  time  in  conjectures  as  to  what  the  coming 
day  would  bring  forth,  when  all  at  once  Red  Plume 
made  a  low  whistle,  which  old  Jud  said  was  an  admoni- 
tion of  silence,  and  accordingly,  all  conversation,  even 
in  whispers,  was  forbidden. 

Shortly  after,  the  fugitives  swept  round  quite  an 
abrupt  bend  in  the  river,  and  immediately  caught  the 
star-like  glimmer  of  a  fire,  apparently  from  the  very 
centre  of  the  river.  The  hunter  instantly  lowered  the 
sail,  and  despite  the  prohibition  of  Red  Plume,  he 
whispered  to  his  friends: 

"  There's  another  island,  and  there  be  a  lot  of  thevar- 
mints  upon  it." 

Red  Plume  instructed  his  friends  to  lie  idle  in  the 
stream  until  he  could  learn  whether  it  was  safe  to  at- 
tempt to  pass  by  the  island  or  not.  As  it  was  still  a 
considerable  distance  away,  it  was  not  deemed  best  to 
obey  this  order  literally,  and  so  he  contented  himself 
with  merely  taking  down  the  sail  and  allowing  the  boat 
to  drift  with  the  current. 

During  the  absence  of  their  guide,  old  Jud  occupied 
himself  in  scanning  the  suspicious  fire-light,  to  see 


THE  RED  PLUME  347 

whether  any  signs  of  human  beings  could  be  detected 
near  it. 

The  fire  burned  with  a  steady  glare,  which  looked  as 
if  it  had  been  replenished  recently;  but,  closely  as  he 
looked,  he  could  detect  nothing  of  any  figures  passing 
before  it. 

In  the  course  of  a  half  hour  Red  Plume  and  his  canoe 
emerged  from  the  darkness,  and  he  and  old  Jud  had  a 
few  minutes'  earnest  converse.  The  guide  had  even 
landed  upon  the  island,  and  made  a  thorough  examina- 
tion of  it.  The  result  was  the  discovery  of  a  dozen 
Sioux,  all  stretched  out  and  sound  asleep  by  the  fire. 
He  could  only  conjecture  what  it  meant,  and  that  con- 
iecture  was  that  they  were  a  portion  of  a  party,  await- 
ing the  return  of  the  others. 

After  considerable  hesitation,  it  was  decided,  in  view 
of  the  great  importance  of  getting  forward  without 
further  delay,  to  make  the  attempt  to  sail  by  the  island 
during  the  darkness,  and  without  learning  whether  any 
oi  their  enemies  were  watching  along  shore. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 
RED  PLUME'S  JOURNEY 

THE  hunter  carefully  hoisted  the  sail  again  and  tak- 
ing advantage  of  the  favoring  breeze,  the  boat  was  soon 
gliding  smoothly  and  rapidly  down  the  river. 

It  was  arranged  that,  as  before,  Red  Plume  should 
keep  the  lead,  and  that  old  Jud  should  follow  the  centre 
of  the  stream,  between  the  island  and  mainland.  By 
doing  this  they  gained  the  additional  impetus  of  the 
current,  and  at  the  same  time  did  not  approach  too 
closely  the  shore,  where,  after  all,  the  real  danger  may 
have  lain. 

For  the  purpose  of  greater  safety  all,  excepting  the 
hunter  himself,  lowered  their  heads  below  the  gunwale 
of  the  boat,  as  they  neared  the  glowing  camp-fire.  As 
the  sides  were  not  of  sufficient  thickness  to  be  bullet- 
proof, no  immunity  from  danger  was  secured  by  this 
artifice,  except  in  so  far  as  it  might  deceive  any  foes 
into  the  belief  that  the  vessel  was  devoid  of  all  occu- 
pants, save  the  fearless  scout,  who  sat  bolt  upright  in 
the  bow,  directing  by  word  Captain  Swarthausen  how 
to  steer. 

It  requires  no  ordinary  nerve  for  a  man  to  remain  ex- 
posed to  a  secret  shot,  disdaining  to  adopt  the  ordinary 

348 


THE  RED  PLUME  349 

means  of  safety,  of  which  his  companions  are  only  too 
glad  to  avail  themselves. 

But  old  Jud  never  flinched,  as,  impelled  by  wind  and 
the  increasing  current,  the  boat  shot  swiftly  forward 
into  the  narrow  channel,  on  the  right  of  the  camp-fire. 
From  his  position  he  could  see  the  dark  figures  of  the 
Indians  stretched  out  as  motionless  as  death,  and 
whether  all  this  unconsciousness  was  assumed  or  not, 
was  a  matter  which  would  soon  be  settled. 

Red  Plume  was  already  below  the  camp-fire,  and  old 
Jud  reflected  that,  whatever  occurred,  his  safety  was 
secured. 

He  looked  intently  in  toward  the  shore  as  they  went 
past,  but  the  same  impressive  stillness  continued,  and 
the  next  moment  he  drew  a  sigh  of  relief  as  he  saw  the 
lower  extremity  of  the  island  glide  backward,  and  had 
the  satisfaction  of  knowing  the  dangerous  point  was 
passed. 

There  was  a  general  congratulation  when  the  fugi- 
tives were  safely  beyond  this  danger,  and  Prescott  re- 
marked that  all  were  indeed  in  God's  special  keeping. 

Out  again  upon  the  dark  river,  with  their  faces 
turned  southward,  and  the  stiff  breeze  bowling  them 
along  at  a  rapid  rate,  the  prospects  of  our  friends 
greatly  brightened,  and  a  feeling  of  cheerfulness  per- 
vaded all. 

Several  of  the  party  took  occasion  to  indulge  in  slum- 
ber, while  those  who  did  not,  chatted  and  talked  frhe 
hours  away,  until  Red  Plume  awaited  the  approach  of 


350  THE  RED  PLUME 

old  Jud,  and  informed  him  that  daylight  was  so  close 
at  hand  that  they  would  be  compelled  to  lie-by  until 
night  again. 

Some  distance  further  down  stream  was  a  small 
creek,  up  which  the  scouts  would  have  been  glad  to  run 
the  canoe ;  but  the  time  was  too  short  to  permit,  and  old 
Jud  accordingly  put  in  shore,  and  unshipped  his  sail. 

The  stoppage  aroused  all  the  passengers,  who  were 
naturally  alarmed  until  the  cause  was  explained. 

It  was  necessary  that  the  boat  should  be  entirely  hid 
from  the  view  of  any  who  were  passing  up  or  down  the 
river.  Accordingly,  it  was  drawn  clear  up  the  bank,  so 
far  indeed  that  there  was  no  possibility  of  its  being  de- 
tected or  stolen,  unless  by  overcoming  those  who  had  it 
in  charge. 

Here  it  was  made  into  a  sort  of  couch  for  the  females, 
who  were  thus  given  the  opportunity  to  stretch  their 
limbs,  and  enjoy  a  few  hours'  quiet  sleep — a  luxury 
which,  from  the  force  of  circumstances,  had  been  de- 
nied them  while  descending  the  river. 

All,  excepting  the  hunters,  stretched  themselves  out 
upon  the  leafy  ground,  where  they  were  permitted  sev- 
eral hours  of  undisturbed  repose,  while  old  Jud  and 
Red  Plume  acquainted  themselves  with  the  peculiarities 
of  their  position. 

Another  matter  now  forced  itself  upon  the  attention 
of  all.  They  had  been  a  long  time  without  food,  and 
the  question  was  as  to  how  the  means  was  to  be  ob- 
tained for  breaking  this  enforced  fast. 


THE  RED  PLUME  351 

Old  Jud  relieved  their  minds  on  this  point  by  inform- 
ing them  that,  while  they  had  been  reposing,  Red 
Plume  had  gone  off  in  his  boat  for  the  double  purpose 
of  seeing  what  he  could  do  toward  obtaining  some 
food,  and  also  of  reconnoitring.  They  had  not  very 
long  to  wait  before  a  soft  ripple  plashed  on  the  beach, 
and  down  through  the  interstices  of  the  bushes  the 
canoe  of  Red  Plume  was  seen  to  glide  against  the  shore, 
and  the  Sioux  stepped  out,  picking  up  several  large 
birds  from  the  bottom  of  the  boat. 

After  drawing  the  boat  up  the  bank,  he  made  his  way 
up  among  his  waiting  friends,  when  it  was  discovered 
that  the  birds  in  his  hand  were  cooked! 

None  the  less  enthusiastic  for  being  subdued  were  the 
exclamations  which  followed  this  discovery.  The 
Sioux,  appreciating  the  danger  of  starting  a  fire  in  this 
portion  of  the  wood,  had  prepared  the  meal  a  goodly 
distance  away,  and  then  brought  it  to  them  by  wate% 
doing  it  with  a  skill  which  shut  off  all  possibility  of  pur- 
suit. 

The  birds  were  large,  plump  and  luscious,  and  al- 
though they  made  rather  a  moderate  meal,  it  was  suf- 
ficient, and  most  keenly  appreciated  by  all  who  partook 
of  it. 

While  considerable  pleasure  was  produced  by  the  ad- 
mirable meal  furnished  by  their  guide,  yet  he  brought 
other  tidings  that  produced  far  different  feelings. 
When  he  first  started  out,  he  had  serious  intentions  of 
making  his  way  to  Fort  Grandon,  not  to  procure  help-^ 


352  THE  RED  PLUME 

for  he  was  too  proud  to  ask  that — but  to  learn  the  most 
advisable  route  by  which  to  reach  it. 

He  had  gone  but  a  short  distance,  when  he  turned 
back,  satisfied  that  there  was  no  way  possible  of  going 
to  the  fort  during  the  day-time.  Less  than  a  mile  away, 
he  came  upon  a  farm-house  which  had  been  recently 
burned,  while  the  family,  numbering  seven  individuals, 
lay  partly  in  the  house  and  partly  out  of  doors,  mangled 
in  a  manner  too  revolting  to  describe.  There  were  signs 
which  showed  that  all  this  had  taken  place  within 
twenty- four  hours;  and  the  Sioux  were  ranging  over 
all  the  surrounding  country  in  their  relentless  search 
for  the  unoffending  settlers. 

Under  these  circumstances,  it  would  be  impossible 
for  a  party  of  the  number  of  the  fugitives  to  make  their 
way,  either  through  the  wood  or  by  water,  without  at- 
tracting attention.  Between  their  present  location  and 
the  fort  was  a  large  portion  of  open,  settled  country, 
across  which  it  would  be  a  difficult  matter  for  a  single 
person  to  make  his  way  without  detection. 

Had  there  been  any  opportunity  of  succeeding,  it 
was  the  intention  of  Red  Plume  to  attempt  to  reach  the 
fort  by  a  circuitous  route  through  the  woods;  but  he 
saw  no  chance  at  all,  and  it  was  decided  to  remain 
where  they  were  until  nightfall,  when  the  journey 
would  be  resumed. 

Noon  came  and  passed  without  anything  of  note  tak- 
ing place ;  but  at  that  time,  Red  Plume,  who  was  con- 
stantly on  the  move,  came  in  with  the  dispiriting  in- 


THE  RED  PLUME  353 

formation  that  their  old  enemies — the  lake  party — were 
descending  the  river. 

They  had  probably  been  searching  along  shore  for 
them  which  explained  their  delay.  He  said  there  were 
three  canoes  of  them,  and  in  the  foremost  was  the  negro 
Lige. 

The  Sioux  descended  the  river  quite  cautiously, 
showing  plainly  by  their  manner  that  they  were  on  the 
look-out  for  "signs."  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say 
that  they  discovered  none,  and  in  the  course  of  an  hour, 
vanished  around  a  bend  in  the  appropriately  named 
Crescent  River. 

Shortly  after  their  disappearance,  several  signals 
were  heard,  which  looked  as  if  they  were  in  communi- 
cation with  some  of  their  kindred  on  shore. 

Nothing  more  was  seen  or  heard  of  the  party,  and 
early  in  the  afternoon  Red  Plume  left  the  company  with 
the  declared  purpose  of  visiting  Fort  Grartdon  and 
learning  as  nearly  as  possible  the  precise  character  of 
the  intervening  ten  miles  which  lay  between  them  and 
safety. 

The  afternoon  passed  drearily  enough  to  those  who 
were  left  along  the  river.  Occasional  intimations  were 
received  of  the  proximity  of  their  enemies,  but  they  re- 
mained undisturbed  until  nightfall. 

We  will  follow  Red  Plume,  who,  toward  dusk,  was 
a  mile  or  two  distant,  speeding  upward  in  his  canoe. 
He  had  reached  and  entered  Fort  Grandon,  and  was 
thus  far  on  his  return.  Having  made  his  journey  en- 


354  THE  RED  PLUME 

tirely  by  land,  he  had  secured  a  canoe,  and  was  now 
making  all  haste  to  rejoin  the  fugitives,  who  he  well 
knew  were  so  anxiously  looking  for  him. 

He  had  incurred  considerable  risk,  both  in  going  and 
coming,  but  by  concealing  his  scarlet  plume,  he  suffered 
little  delay  in  making  his  way  through  the  hordes  of 
redskins  that  appeared  to  overrun  the  entire  country. 

As  yet  he  had  seen  nothing  of  the  old  enemies  of  the 
lake,  and  he  was  looking  for  them.  A  mile  or  two  be- 
low the  spot  where  the  fugitives  were  in  waiting,  he 
came  upon  them,  their  canoes  resting  against  the  bank, 
while  they  appeared  to  have  been  joined  by  quite  a 
number  of  others,  and  were  holding  some  sort  of  a  jolli- 
fication, most  likely  over  some  massacre  in  which  they 
had  found  an  opportunity  of  joining. 

Red  Plume  had  replaced  his  ornamental  head  ap- 
pendage, so  that  there  could  be  no  mistaking  his  iden- 
tity, and  paddling  out  to  the  middle  of  the  river,  in 
plain  view  of  them  all,  he  stood  up  in  his  canoe  and  ut- 
tered a  shout  of  defiance. 

"  Dogs  of  the  Sioux !  why  did  you  not  prevent  the  pale 
faces  from  going  away  in  the  night  to  Fort  Grandon? 
Red  Plume  cares  nothing  for  you !" 

With  which  he  sat  down  in  his  boat  again,  and  tak- 
ing his  paddle  resumed  his  course  up  the  stream.  But 
this  taunt  was  not  taken  in  meekness.  An  angry  whoop 
was  sent  back,  and  a  half  dozen  sprang  in  the  nearest 
canoe  and  started  in  pursuit. 

Red  Plume  allowed  them  to  approach  quite  close, 


THE  RED  PLUME  355 

and  then  raising  his  rifle  took  deliberate  aim  at  one  of 
the  redskins  and  shot  him  dead.  Then  he  plied  his  pad- 
dle with  such  skill  that  he  gained  rapidly  upon  them, 
and  firing  their  useless  guns,  they  turned  about  and  re- 
treated, followed  by  his  taunts  and  whoops  of  defiance. 

Old  Jud  had  heard  and  recognized  the  report  of  Red 
Plume's  gun  and,  as  may  be  supposed,  had  no  little 
curiosity  to  understand  what  it  meant ;  but  as  there  was 
no  return  shot,  everything  looked  favorable  to  his 
dusky  friend,  and  he  awaited  his  coming  with  very  little 
apprehension  as  to  his  welfare. 

The  scout  came  in  his  cautious  and  quiet  manner, 
and  was  among  the  fugitives  before  they  knew  it,  old 
Jud  being  the  only  one  who  saw  him  as  his  canoe  ap- 
proached. 

All  were  anxious  to  go,  and  impatiently  awaited  the 
decision  of  their  dusky  friend. 

When  all  declared  their  readiness  to  start,  they  were 
surprised  by  learning  that  the  remaining  ten  miles  were 
to  be  made  by  land.  Red  Plume  showed  the  impossi- 
bility of  avoiding  the  Sioux  on  the  river,  on  account  of 
the  bright  moonlight.  The  peril  was  hardly  less  by 
overland,  but  they  had  no  other  choice,  and  it  was 
taken. 

They  started  in  the  same  order  as  before,  Red  Plume 
taking  the  lead,  while  a  considerable  distance  behind 
him  came  old  Jud  at  the  head  of  the  party.  As  it  was 
necessary  for  the  Indian,  while  their  way  led  through 
the  wood,  to  keep  so  far  ahead  as  to  be  invisible,  it  was 


3$6  THE  RED  PLUME 

arranged  that  he  should  communicate  with  the  hunter 
by  means  of  signals. 

All  being  ready,  the  fugitives  started,  beseeching 
kind  Heaven  still  to  lead  them  through  the  dangerous 
wilderness. 


CHAPTER   XXXIV 

THE  OVERLAND  ROUTE 

THE  moon  shone  with  unclouded  splendor,  and  but 
for  the  shadow  of  the  trees,  the  fugitives  would  have 
found  little  difference  between  the  night  and  day. 

They  moved  quite  rapidly  until  several  miles  were 
travelled,  when  unexpectedly  the  wood  terminated,  and 
they  found  themselves  upon  the  margin  of  the  open 
country. 

From  where  they  stood,  the  land  sloped  up  for  a  con- 
siderable distance,  so  that  it  was  as  if  they  were  at  the 
bottom  of  a  large  hill.  Up  this  they  began  walking, 
Red  Plume  still  at  their  head. 

Reaching  the  top  they  found  that  the  prairie  was  of 
the  undulating  or  rolling  character,  and  that  within  a 
few  hundred  yards  of  them  were  the  ruins  of  a  farm 
house.  In  the  bright  moonlight  they  plainly  distin- 
guished the  blackened  ruins,  telling  impressively  of  the 
fearful  scenes  that  had  taken  place  but  a  short  time  be- 
fore. 

Halting  but  a  few  minutes,  Red  Plume  started  on, 
leading  his  friends  a  few  rods  to  one  side  of  it.  The 
chimney  had  been  made  of  stone,  and  stood  silent  and 
blackened,  pointing  mutely  to  heaven  as  if  indicating 

357 


358  THE  RED  PLUME 

the  only  refuge  at  such  a  time  as  this.  A  rough  mass 
of  charred  logs  and  boards,  told  only  where  a  home 
with  its  happy  inmates  formerly  stood. 

There  were  the  outbuildings  that  had  shared  the 
same  fate,  the  garden  and  the  fields  of  corn  and  grain 
trampled  by  the  infuriated  redskins  in  their  eager  work 
— all  these  bore  witness  to  the  terrible  devastation 
sweeping  over  Minnesota,  and  to  the  necessity  of  the 
strong  military  arm  to  drive  it  back. 

Our  friends  gazed  upon  these  dismal  ruins  for  a  few 
minutes  only,  and  then  they  started  down  a  sort  of 
rough  road,  formerly  used  by  the  farmers  of  this  region 
in  going  to  the  fort,  or  to  the  steamboat  landing  further 
down  the  river.  This,  however,  was  soon  deserted,  as 
there  was  manifestly  great  danger  in  following  it. 

The  Indian,  silent  and  stern,  held  his  place  a  rod  or 
so  in  advance,  scarcely  ever  looking  over  his  shoulder 
to  see  whether  he  was  followed,  while  old  Jud  strode 
after  him  with  his  long  rifle  in  hand,  his  keen  eyes  dart- 
ing from  side  to  side,  and  behind  him  came  Captain 
Swarthausen,  Muggins,  and  the  rest  of  the  party, 
scarcely  less  watchful  and  observing  than  he. 

Their  way  for  the  most  part  led  through  cultivated 
fields,  but  they  had  progressed  less  than  a  mile,  when 
they  came  in  sight  of  a  small  house,  which  had  evi- 
dently been  the  scene  of  a  fierce  resistance.  It  was  only 
partially  burned,  and  the  fences  and  vegetation  form- 
erly surrounding  it  were  all  levelled  with  the  ground. 
The  windows  were  all  broken  in,  as  is  sometimes  seen 


THE  RED  PLUME  359 

when  the  walls  of  a  building  have  been  saved  from  the 
fire;  and  brave  as  was  the  conduct  of  the  defenders, 
they  had  been  forced  to  succumb  at  last. 

While  yet  some  distance  from  this,  the  party  halted 
in  obedience  to  the  stopping  of  Red  Plume,  who  seemed 
to  look  upon  the  battered  structure  with  some  distrust. 
Standing  in  the  open  field,  he  beckoned  to  the  hunter  to 
approach,  while  he  requested  the  others  to  remain  where 
they  were  until  his  return. 

"  He  thinks  that  very  likely  -some  of  the  varmints  be 
there,"  he  said,  a  few  minutes  later  when  he  walked 
back  and  rejoined  them. 

"  Why  not  avoid  the  house  by  taking  altogether  adif- 
ferent  route?  "  asked  the  captain. 

"  We'll  run  into  worse  places — so  we'll  wait  here  till 
he  finds  out  for  himself." 

"  Look !  "  exclaimed  Pipkins,  pointing  toward  the 
building. 

All  eyes  were  turned  thitherward,  and  in  the  clear 
moonlight  two  figures  were  seen  to  issue  from  the  door, 
and  walk  toward  them. 

"Do  those  Indians  see  us?"  asked  the  wonder- 
stricken  Prescott. 

"  They  are  coming  to  meet  Red  Plume." 

"  What  does  it  mean  ?" 

"  One  of  'em  is  an  Injin  and  the  other  a  white 
man." 

The  listeners  were  more  mystified  than  ever.  There 
was  a  significant  smile  upon  the  face  of  the  hunter,  as 
he  said : 


360  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  The  redskin  is  the  Otter ;  and  the  white  man — wall, 
take  a  good  look  at  him,  and  make  him  out  for  your- 
selves." 

"  He  has  quite  a  resemblance  to  my  nephew,  Colonel 
Havens,"  said  Captain  Swarthausen,  "  but,  of  course, 
it  cannot  be  he." 

"  That's  jist  who  it  is,"  replied  old  Jud. 

"  Impossible !  he  is  far  away — " 

"  Only  a  couple  of  rods  or  so." 

"  But  it  cannot — " 

The  two  personages  were  now  conversing  with  Red 
Plume ;  and  to  settle  the  question  of  the  identity  of  one 
of  them,  Captain  Swarthausen  abruptly  walked  toward 
the  trio,  while  the  others  watched  him  with  an  interest 
difficult  to  imagine. 

They  heard  the  exclamation  of  surprise,  and  then 
saw  the  captain  shaking  the  hand  of  the  young  man; 
and  then  they  knew  that  the  hunter  had  spoken  the 
truth,  and  they  were  astounded. 

Almost  instantly  the  parties  mingled,  and  there  was 
a  handshaking  all  round. 

"  Just  as  I  suspected,"  laughed  Captain  Swarthausen, 
taking  upon  himself  the  duty  of  explaining  to  the 
others  the  singular  appearance  of  his  nephew  among 
them.  "  When  he  was  on  the  point  of  starting,  there 
came  an  order  countermanding  the  other,  and  instruct- 
ing him  to  wait  where  he  was  until  further  orders  were 
received." 

"  How  was  it  that  Red  Plume  reported  him  absent 
when  he  visited  the  fort  ?  "  inquired  Prescott. 


THE  RED  PLUME  361 

"  So  he  was ;  but  he  learned  that  he  was  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  fort,  and  was  expected  in  every  minute ; 
and  Red  Plume  told  the  Otter  by  what  route  he  was  go- 
ing to  bring  us  in,  if  he  brought  us  in  at  all.  Shortly 
after,  Colonel  Havens  returned,  and  learned  the  whole 
particulars,  and  he  and  the  Otter  started  out  to  inter- 
cept us." 

"  And  did  Jud  know  of  this  ?  "  inquired  Prescott. 

"  He  knew  that  the  colonel  was  near  the  fort,  but  he 
didn't  think  it  best  to  notify  us,  for  fear  that  there 
might  be  a  disappointment.  Isn't  that  so,  Jud  ?  " 

The  hunter  replied  in  the  affirmative,  and  a  general 
smile  passed  round. 

When  Lillian  Prescott  comprehended  that  Colonel 
Havens  really  stood  before  her,  she  could  scarcely  sup- 
press her  feelings;  and  he  felt  her  hand  tremble  as  he 
took  it  in  his  own.  She  believed,  all  along,  that  if  she 
ever  met  him  face  to  face  again  she  would  instantly  ask 
his  forgiveness  with  the  meekness  of  an  humble  child ; 
but  a  strange  revulsion  of  emotion  overcame  her,  and 
although  she  bravely  strove,  she  was  utterly  unable  to 
utter  a  word.  She  merely  returned  the  pressure  of  his 
hand,  and  made  no  response  to  his  eager  question  as  to 
whether  she  was  sorry  to  meet  him. 

"  The  country  is  full  of  Sioux,"  said  Colonel  Havens, 
as  the  party  stood  all  together ;  "if  it  hadn't  been  for  the 
Otter  I  never  would  have  gotten  through." 

"  And  how  are  we  to  get  back  again  ?  " 

"  There  will  probably  be  fighting  before  we  reach  the 
fort;  but  I  hope  we  shall  succeed  for  all  that." 


362  THE  RED  PLUME 

Red  Plume  and  the  Otter  were  talking  together,  and 
it  took  but  a  few  minutes  for  them  to  reach  an  under- 
standing. Reinforced  by  this  weazen-faced  redskin  a 
still  better  plan  of  procedure  was  adopted  by  the  fugi- 
tives. 

Their  route,  it  must  be  understood,  led  them  over 
roads,  across  fields,  by  the  margin  of  small  tracts  of 
timber,  and  through  a  section  which,  for  a  new  country, 
was  quite  well  settled.  As  it  was  known  that  parties 
of  Sioux  were  constantly  ranging  over  this  territory, 
the  great  peril  was  of  encountering  some  of  them. 

The  more  certainly  to  prevent  this,  Red  Plume,  the 
Otter  and  old  Jud  assumed  the  lead.  The  first  was  not 
only  in  advance,  but  was  at  considerable  distance  to  the 
right;  the  second  took  a  position  as  far  to  the  left, 
while  the  hunter  occupied  the  centre. 

Captain  Swarthausen  compared  them  to  skirmishers 
thrown  out  to  feel  the  way.  By  adopting  this  plan,  it 
was  almost  impossible  to  run  into  any  great  danger 
without  its  detection  by  one  or  all  of  the  advance 
scouts. 

Time  was  too  precious  to  admit  of  any  great  delay, 
and  Red  Plume  had  his  party  on  the  move  within  ten 
minutes  after  the  first  greeting  of  Colonel  Havens. 

The  captain  was  so  pleased  at  meeting  his  nephew, 
that  for  a  considerable  time  he  could  pay  no  heed  to 
any  one  else,  and  absorbed  his  entire  attention ;  but  the 
veteran  could  not  help  perceiving,  after  a  while,  that  he 
occasionally  cast  longing  glances  backward,  where 


THE  RED  PLUME  363 

Augustus  Pipkins  was  doing  his  utmost  to  entertain  his 
cousin,  Lillian  Prescott.  He  would  have  been  blind  not 
to  have  perceived  the  cause ;  and,  accordingly,  he  grad- 
ually edged  away  to  his  place  beside  Muggins,  who, 
from  some  cause  or  other,  seemed  more  dispirited  than 
ever — so  much  so,  indeed,  that  he  found  himself 
scarcely  able  to  draw  him  out.  When  questioned, 
rather  sharply,  however,  he  declared  a  wish  that  he 
might  fall  before  reaching  the  fort ;  for,  since  the  death 
of  his  wife,  he  had  no  desire  whatever  to  live,  and 
would  welcome  the  bullet  that  would  take  him  away. 

Augustus  Pipkins  affected  a  lofty  indifference,  as  he 
observed  Colonel  Havens  step  out  from  the  front  of  the 
party  where  he  was  walking,  and  await  the  approach  of 
the  rear,  where  he  and  Lillian  were  journeying  side  by 
side. 

The  young  lover  never  would  have  done  this  had  he 
not  been  encouraged  by  the  pressure  of  the  hand  and 
the  look  of  Lillian's  face  when  they  first  encountered 
after  their  estrangement. 

Bowing  politely  to  Pipkins,  he  supposed  the  latter 
would  step  aside  and  yield  his  place  to  him;  but  the 
Chicagoan  chose  to  disregard  his  wishes,  and  walked 
the  closer  to  his  cousin. 

"  Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  allow  me  a  few  minutes 
with  Miss  Prescott  ?  "  asked  the  colonel,  lifting  his  hat 
with  the  most  studied  politeness. 

"  I  do  not  see  the  necessity ;  she  is  under  my  charge," 
was  the  grandiloquent  reply  of  Pipkins. 


364  THE  RED  PLUME 

"  I  will  be  obliged  to  you,  if  you  will  leave  me  for  a 
short  time,"  said  Lillian  herself,  who,  as  may  well  be 
supposed,  was  not  a  little  indignant  at  this  response. 

"  I  regret  that  I  must  refuse  to  comply  with  your  re- 
quest," was  the  astonishing  answer. 

There  was  no  telling  what  this  matter  would  have 
culminated  in  had  not  Edith  come  to  the  rescue. 

"Adolphus,  you  will  not  refuse  to  give  me  a  few  min- 
utes," she  asked,  as  Fielding  helped  the  case  by  moving 
away,  and  offering  his  place  to  her. 

"  Certainly,"  said  Pipkins,  as,  with  all  the  grace  at 
his  command,  he  took  his  place  beside  the  sister,  who 
straightway  devoted  all  her  ability  to  entertaining  him, 
and  withdrawing  his  attention  from  the  couple  behind 
him. 

The  latter  lingered  and  loitered  until  they  were  as  far 
in  the  rear  as  was  prudent,  and  still  they  were  silent. 
Now  that  the  opportunity  so  ardently  prayed  for  had 
come  to  Lillian,  she  found  pride  struggling  again  in  her 
heart,  and  threatening  to  smother  all  the  resolutions  she 
had  made. 

"  Did  you  receive  my  letter?  "  he  finally  asked,  in  a 
voice  so  low  that  he  knew  no  ears  but  hers  heard  him. 

"  Yes,"  she  responded,  in  a  trembling  voice ;  "  you 
never  should  have  written  it." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because  there  was  no  necessity  for  it." 

"I  thought  there  was ;  I  had  every  reason  to  believe 
so." 


THE  RED  PLUME  365 

"  I  treated  you  badly,"  she  said,  forcing  down  her 
pride.  "  I  called  to  you  to  come  back,  but  you  would 
not  heed  me." 

"  I  did  not  hear  you,"  replied  the  colonel,  as  his  heart 
gave  a  great  bound  of  delight  at  the  confession  of  her 
who  held  all  the  love  of  his  soul. 

"  If  you  had  heard  me,  would  you  have  come?  "  she 
asked,  looking  him  archly  in  his  face. 

"  No  power  could  have  prevented  me.  Never  have  I 
known  such  sadness  as  has  been  mine  since  I  last  saw 
you.  When  I  found  that  I  had  a  chance  of  assisting 
you  and  your  friends,  I  came  out  with  the  Otter,  deter- 
mined to  do  all  that  was  possible,  except  to  recognize 
or  speak  to  you.  When  I  met  you,  I  concluded  to  shake 
hands,  so  as  to  escape  occasion  for  remark  upon  the 
part  of  the  others ;  and  then  your  actions  led  me  to  ask 
for  the  opportunity  to  say  a  word  or  two  to  you,  and 
now  that  I  have  obtained  it,  what  shall  I  say  ?  " 

"  You  may  tell  me  some  other  time,"  she  replied, 
looking  toward  him,  while  her  eyes  spoke  the  great  love 
that  welled  up  from  her  heart. 

"  Dearest  Lillian,  I  cannot  express  the  happiness  this 
night  has  given.  If  my  separation  from  you  plunged 
me  into  the  lowest  depth  of  despair,  so  has  this  meeting 
raised  me  to  the  highest  pinnacle  of  delight.  If  you 
were  trifling  with  me,  I  was  over-serious  with  you,  and 
impelled  you  to  your  assumed  indifference.  But  the 
cloud  that  came  between  us,  and  that  dimmed  our 
future,  has  cleared  away,  and  all  is  well.  Is  it  not  so  ?  " 


366  THE  RED  PLUME 

Lillian  answered  with  an  inclination  of  the  head,  for 
she  durst  not  trust  her  voice.  Was  she  not  as  happy  as 
he?  Had  one  suffered  more  than  the  other?  If  both 
had  been  equally  sorrowful,  were  not  both  equally 
glad? 

They  walked  side  by  side  in  silence,  but  their  hearts 
were  in  communion,  and  each  felt  that  there  was  no  one 
upon  earth  whom  they-could  envy.  Hardly  conscious 
of  the  distance  passed,  they  had  followed  instinctively 
their  friends  in  front,  scarcely  thinking  of  the  peril 
which  was  really  deepening  around  them,  until  now  it 
may  be  said  they  awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  situation, 
and  turned  their  thoughts  to  others  as  well  as  them- 
selves. 

They  felt  the  propriety  of  rejoining  the  others,  who 
more  than  once  had  looked  at  them  in  a  way  which 
showed  that  they  suspected,  even  if  they  were  not  cer- 
tain of  what  was  going  on. 

At  this  time  they  were  crossing  a  sort  of  prairie,  cov- 
ered with  long  grass,  but  uncultivated  and  unenclosed 
by  any  fence  or  boundary  marks.  It  seemed  to  stretch 
for  several  miles  in  advance,  and  was  unrelieved  by  any 
visible  object  except  a  distant  cabin,  which,  as  dimly 
seen,  bore  no  signs  of  disturbance  from  hostile  bands. 

The  three  scouts  thrown  out  in  advance  were  faintly 
visible,  now  and  then,  as  they  steadily  made  their  way 
over  the  prairie;  but  as  yet  there  was  no  communica- 
tion between  them  and  those  in  the  rear. 

It  was  observed  that  they  so  shaped  their  course  as  to 


THE  RED  PLUME  367 

leave  the  house  spoken  of  on  the  right.  As  the  fugi- 
tives advanced  nearer  to  this  it  was  seen  to  be  com- 
posed entirely  of  logs,  and  so  far  as  they  could  judge, 
it  had  not  been  disturbed  by  Indians — a  circumstance 
which  more  than  one  of  the  party  was  disposed  to  look 
upon  with  distrust,  although  Colonel  Havens  could  see 
nothing  in  it  to  excite  apprehension. 

The  humble-looking  structure  was  passed  by  a  few 
hundred  yards,  when  the  crack  of  a  rifle  was  heard 
from  the  front,  followed  by  another,  and  another.  Our 
friends  paused,  undetermined  what  to  do ;  but  they  had 
not  long  to  wait,  when  Red  Plume,  the  Otter,  and  old 
Jud  were  distinguished  running  toward  them  at  full 
speed,  all  converging  in  a  manner  which  showed  that 
each  was  doing  his  best  to  reach  the  house  that  the  main 
party  had  just  passed. 

"  Into  the  cabin! "  called  out  the  hunter,  in  his  sten- 
torian voice;  "  the  varmints  be  comin'! " 

"  That's  so,"  added  Colonel  Havens.  "  Hear  them 
shout — and  yonder  they  come !  " 

It  looked  as  if  there  were  fully  fifty  of  them,  mounted 
on  horseback,  shouting  and  screeching  like  fiends,  ac<l 
in  full  pursuit  of  the  three  flying  scouts. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

THE   PRAIRIE   FIGHT 

THERE  was  no  longer  any  thought  of  whom  the  set- 
tler's cabin  might  contain,  but  all  turned  and  ran 
toward  it. 

Those  in  the  front,  hearing  the  frenzied  cry  of 
Dinah,  hesitated ;  but  the  captain  waved  them  on  again, 
and  then  spoke  to  Muggins : 

"  Come,  we  shall  have  to  lend  her  a  hand,  for  she 
can't  help  herself." 

Running  back  a  rod  or  two,  they  caught  her,  one  by 
either  arm,  and  she  almost  ceased  her  efforts,  relying 
upon  them. 

And  all  this  time  some  fifty  mounted  Sioux  were 
bearing  down  upon  the  scene,  shouting,  screeching, 
whooping,  like  so  many  fiends,  and  frequently  dis- 
charging their  guns,  and  brandishing  the  weapons  over 
their  heads. 

Red  Plume  had  not  detected  them  until  the  whole 
horde  dashed  out  of  the  woods  in  front,  and  bore  un- 
hesitatingly down  upon  them.  They  could  only  fire 
their  guns  and  turn  back  with  utmost  speed. 

All  three,  being  remarkably  fleet  of  foot,  reached  the 
deserted  building  slightly  in  advance  of  the  others,  and 

368 


THE  RED  PLUME  369 

hurried  in.  There  was  but  a  single  door  and  window, 
and  both  of  these  had  been  battered  in,  so  that  there  was 
no  means  of  barring  them  against  the  entrance  of  a  foe. 

But  the  rude  hut  offered  shelter;  and,  satisfied  on 
this  point,  they  turned  to  the  assistance  of  their  friends. 

Pipkins  was  the  first  to  enter,  and  immediately  be- 
hind him  came  Prescott  and  his  wife,  Colonel  Havens 
and  Lillian  hurried  immediately  after,  and  then  Cato; 
but  Edith  had  stumbled,  and,  ere  she  and  Fielding  could 
reach  the  shelter,  an  Indian  horseman  rushed  between 
them  and  made  straight  for  the  girl. 

A  horrified  scream  went  up  from  the  mother,  and  she 
fell  swooning  to  the  floor.  The  rifle  of  the  Friend  was 
not  loaded,  but  clubbing  it,  he  drew  it  back  and  awaited 
the  onslaught  of  the  savage;  but  scarcely  a  dozen  feet 
separated  the  two,  when  the  Sioux  threw  up  his  arms 
with  an  ear-splitting  shriek,  and  rolled  from  the  side  of 
his  horse,  slain  by  a  bullet  from  the  rifle  of  old  Jud. 

Seeing  how  narrowly  he  had  escaped,  the  Quaker 
lifted  the  fainting  Edith  from  the  ground,  and  carrying 
her  as  he  would  have  carried  an  infant,  made  a  dash 
for  the  house,  and,  assisted  by  many  willing  hands,  was 
drawn  within  with  his  precious  burden,  just  in  time 
for  both  to  escape  a  fearful  death. 

But  the  return  of  Muggins,  Captain  Swarthausen 
and  Dinah  was  cut  off,  and  a  half  dozen  Indian  horse- 
men were  already  between  them  and  the  house. 

"  They  are  lost  unless  we  save  them ! "  exclaimed 
Colonel  Havens.  "  Who  will  follow  me?' ' 


370  THE  RED  PLUME 

With  which,  the  colonel  leaped  through  the  door, 
closely  followed  by  Red  Plume  and  the  Otter,  while 
Prescott  allowed  himself  to  be  restrained  by  the  hunter 
and  his  family. 

The  assault  of  the  Sioux  proved  that  they  were 
mounted  upon  horses  of  all  degrees  of  fleetness,  for 
scarcely  two  of  them  rode  at  the  same  speed;  and,  at 
the  moment  the  three  men  rushed  forth  to  the  rescue  of 
their  friends,  about  half  a  dozen  were  closing  around 
them,  and  attempting  to  cut  them  down. 

Captain  Swarthausen  had  drawn  a  revolver,  with 
which  he  had  managed  to  arm  himself,  and  coolly 
awaited  the  attack.  Muggins  was  without  weapons  of 
any  kind ;  and  seeing  that  he  could  be  of  no  assistance 
to  either  of  his  companions,  he  made  a  plunge  for  the 
cabin,  in  the  hope  of  making  his  way  between  the 
horses  during  the  confusion  of  the  moment. 

By  this  time  he  was  encircled  by  the  furious  horse- 
men, and  while  he  paused,  bewildered  and  not  knowing 
which  way  to  turn,  he  was  shot  dead  by  one  of  the 
Sioux  on  the  outer  edge  of  the  circle.  The  poor  fellow 
uttered  one  groan,  and  expired  without  a  word. 

"  There  is  no  use  of  trying  to  stay  here,"  Captain 
Swarthausen  had  said,  a  few  minutes  before.  "  Fol- 
low me  as  close  as  you  can,  Dinah,  and,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  our  friends,  maybe  we  shall  succeed  in  reaching 
the  house." 

It  was  a  fortunate  thing  that  the  captain  possessed  a 
loaded  revolver,  for  the  Sioux  appreciated  that  weapon. 


THE  RED  PLUME  371 

As  an  indication  of  what  he  could  do,  he  sent  a  ball 
crashing  through  the  nearest  bronzed  skull,  and  then 
instantly  wheeled  and  pointed  it  at  the  next;  but  the 
terrified  redskin  ducked  his  head,  and  threw  himself  on 
the  opposite  side  of  his  horse,  with  such  celerity  that  the 
aim  was  disconcerted,  and  the  captain  forbore  to  fire, 
unwilling  to  throw  away  a  single  shot. 

"I'm  with  you ! "  shouted  Colonel  Havens,  as  he 
bounded  to  his  side,  pistol  in  hand.  "  Be  careful,  and 
don't  let  them  get  behind  you." 

Side  by  side  the  two  soldiers  advanced,  firing  in 
every  direction,  but  with  a  care  which  showed  their  fear 
of  being  left  with  empty  chambers.  The  Indians  kept 
closing  around  them,  but  their  manoeuvres  were  not  a 
little  obstructed  by  Red  Plume  and  the  Otter,  who  were 
whisking  and  dodging  hither  and  thither  with  a  dex- 
terity that  could  not  be  surpassed.  Each  held  a  long 
hunting-knife  in  his  hand,  and  fought  with  that  weapon 
alone. 

Dinah  did  her  best  to  keep  as  near  the  officers  as  pos- 
sible, and  she  came  near  stumbling  over  them  several 
times.  The  greater  portion  of  the  distance  was  passed, 
when  a  darmg  Sioux  forced  his  horse  between  the  par- 
ties, and  she  found  herself  shut  entirely  from  all  assist- 
ance. 

We  have  shown  how  Colonel  Havens  and  Captain 
Swarthausen  had  all  they  could  do  to  attend  to  their 
own  safety ;  neither  Red  Plume  nor  the  Otter  paid  the 
least  attention  to  Dinah,  caring  little  whether  she  es- 
caped or  not. 


372  THE  RED  PLUME 

And  thus  it  came  about  that  she  was  left  friendless 
among  her  enemies,  who  showed  a  curious  anxiety  to 
make  a  prisoner  of  her. 

Two  Sioux  seized  the  bulky  lady  with  a  grip  of  iron, 
and  despite  her  furious  resistance,  she  was  cast  upon 
the  back  of  a  horse,  and  one  of  them  vaulted  upon  the 
animal  behind  her,  holding  her  firmly  in  position, 
against  her  most  determined  struggles. 

The  horsemen  then  headed  toward  the  woods,  and 
put  his  animal  to  a  rapid  gallop.  Dinah,  all  the  time, 
never  ceased  her  struggles,  despite  their  manifest  in- 
utility,  as  the  savage  held  her  with  great  strength  and 
firmness. 

But  when  he  was  yet  a  good  distance  from  the  wood 
he  observed  another  Indian  on  horseback  speeding 
toward  him.  He  paid  little  attention  to  his  brother, 
except  to  see  that  he  was  better  mounted  than  himself, 
and  that  their  routes  were  converging. 

Nearer,  nearer,  they  came,  until  scarce  twenty  yards 
separated  them,  when  the  stranger  shouted,  in  the 
Sioux  tongue : 

"Haiti" 

Not  a  little  surprised  at  such  a  command,  the  Indian 
partly  reined  up  his  horse,  and  looked  inquiringly  at 
him.  As  he  did  so,  he  saw  the  upraised  rifle  flash, 
heard  the  crack,  and  never  saw  or  heard  anything  more. 

"  Massa  sakes !  what's  going  to  'come  ob  me ! " 
groaned  Dinah,  as  she  rolled  to  the  ground,  with  her 
inanimate  captor.  "  I  do  b'lebe  I'm  shook  to  pieces.'* 


THE  RED  PLUME  373 

"  Run  to  the  woods  and  hide !  "  called  the  other  In- 
dian, as  he  sped  away  again  with  his  horse  at  full  speed. 

Amazed  and  bewildered  as  the  woman  was  at  her 
sudden  deliverance,  she  yet  had  the  good  sense  to  obey 
the  injunction  of  the  Indian,  and  she  accordingly  hied 
toward  the  woods  at  her  best  speed. 

Chiefly  through  the  distraction  caused  by  the  manoeu- 
vres of  Red  Plume  and  the  Otter,  Colonel  Havens  and 
Captain  Swarthausen  were  enabled  to  reach  the  build- 
ing, from  which  old  Jud  had  rushed  to  their  assistance, 
and  the  three  dashed  in  again,  in  time  to  escape  any- 
thing more  than  a  few  scratches. 

Red  Plume  followed  the  next  moment,  bearing  in  his 
hand  a  reeking  scalp,  which  no  one  knew  how  he  had 
obtained,  and  with  a  whoop  of  defiance  he  leaped  into 
the  building  unharmed. 

"  Where  is  the  Otter?  "  asked  the  hunter. 

"  He  is  lost !  he  is  lost !  "  exclaimed  the  panting  col- 
onel. "  Is  there  no  way  to  save  him !  " 

"  He  ain't  lost,"  replied  Red  Plume;  "  he  go  way — 
he  no  come  in.  See !  " 

As  he  spoke  he  pointed  out  on  the  prairie,  where  a 
thrilling  scene  was  visible. 

The  Otter  seemed  to  be  in  the  centre  of  a  group  of 
fully  twenty  horsemen,  who  were  pressing  and  riding 
against  each  other  in  their  efforts  to  cut  him  down  or 
take  him  prisoner,  while  he  dodged  and  leaped  hither 
and  thither,  avoiding  their  blows  with  an  agility  that 
.was  little  short  of  the  marvellous. 


374 


THE  RED  PLUME 


So  absorbing  was  the  spectacle  that  the  other  In- 
dians, who,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  were  prevented 
from  mingkng  in  the  fray,  sat  motionless  upon  their 
horses,  watching  the  efforts  to  make  a  prisoner  of  the 
daring  scout. 

And  the  fugitives,  forgetful  of  their  own  danger, 
crowded  the  single  door  and  window,  and  scarcely 
breathed,  while  all  this  was  going  on. 

Suddenly,  while  they  were  gazing  with  rapt  atten- 
tion, the  Otter  shot  from  beneath  a  horse's  belly  upon 
the  extreme  periphery  of  the  circle  of  horsemen,  and 
ran  with  astonishing  speed  directly  across  the  open 
plain  to  where  the  riderless  animal  of  the  first  Indian 
who  had  been  shot  was  cropping  the  grass. 

By  the  time  his  enemies  had  fairly  comprehended  his 
intention,  he  was  upon  the  back  of  the  horse  like  a 
monkey,  had  turned  his  head  toward  the  woods,  and 
was  going  at  full  speed,  with  the  twenty  Indians  in  pur- 
suit. 

We  have  shown  how  this  was  the  fleetest  horse  of 
them  all,  and  the  Otter  speedily  left  them  so  far  behind 
that  they  gave  up  the  pursuit ;  and,  as  already  narrated, 
he  came  up  to  the  captor  of  Dinah  just  in  time  to  save 
her  and  send  her  hiding  to  the  woods 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

THE   LAST   STRUGGLE   FOR   LIFE 

A  CHEER  of  admiration  went  up  from  the  fugitives 
as  they  witnessed  the  matchless  exploit  of  the  Otter, 
and  saw  him  and  his  horse  vanishing  with  the  speed  of 
the  wind  over  the  prairie. 

The  iron  features  of  Red  Plume  relaxed  with  a  grim 
smile  as  he  saw  the  triumph  of  his  comrade,  but  he  said 
nothing.  He  knew  what  his  manoeuvre  meant  from 
the  beginning. 

With  the  disappearance  of  the  Otter,  our  friends 
came  back  to  the  alarming  truth  regarding  their  own 
situation. 

"  Back,  all  of  you !  "  commanded  old  Jud,  turning 
about  and  spreading  out  his  arms,  as  if  he  were  driving 
sheep.  "  Keep  away  from  the  door  and  winder,  or 
you'll  get  bored  with  their  lead. 

The  struggle  of  which  we  spoke  in  the  preceding 
chapter  eventuated  in  impressing  the  Sioux  with  a  fair 
estimate  of  the  courage  of  the  fugitives,  and  they 
showed  a  hesitation  in  attacking  them  in  their  strong- 
hold, which  was  noticed  and  commented  upon  by  more 
than  one  of  our  friends. 

The    horsemen    galloped  back  and  forth  upon  the 

375 


376  THE  RED  PLUME 

prairie,  and,  from  their  position,  continued  firing  sev- 
eral dropping  shots  at  the  house,  but  none  of  which  en- 
tered either  the  door  or  window. 

Thus  matters  stood,  when  Red  Plume  perceived 
something  crawling  through  the  prairie  grass,  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  house.  It  all  at  once  flashed  across  his 
mind  that  this  must  be  the  Indian  who  had  been  shot 
by  old  Jud,  and  whose  horse  was  afterward  captured  by 
the  Otter.  He  had  evidently  been  only  wounded,  and 
had  hitherto  lain  motionless  in  the  hopes  that  his 
friends  might  rescue  him.  Taking  advantage  of  the 
attention  of  the  whites  being  directed  toward  his  party, 
he  was  now  endeavoring  to  crawl  off  to  the  rear  of  the 
house,  where  he  would  be  comparatively  safe. 

It  was  not  characteristic  of  Red  Plume  to  allow  any 
such  proceeding  directly  under  his  eyes.  With  a  mut- 
tered exclamation  to  Jud,  he  lay  down  his  rifle,  placed 
his  hand  upon  his  hunting  knife,  and  in  a  crouching 
posture  ran  rapidly  out  toward  the  man. 

When  the  chief  saw  Red  Plume  stealing  rapidly 
toward  him,  he  knew  who  was  coming,  and  he  strug- 
gled upon  one  knee,  and  drew  his  knife  to  defend  him- 
self, for  he  expected  no  mercy  from  him. 

The  friendly  Indian  approached  with  due  caution, 
and  in  the  wounded  condition  of  his  foe,  he  easily  dis- 
armed him.  Then,  instead  of  finishing  him,  he  caught 
him  in  his  herculean  grasp,  and  ran  rapidly  toward  the 
house,  which  he  safely  reached. 

The  Sioux  were  unwilling  to  give  up  their  chief,  even 


THE  RED  PLUME  377 

after  he  had  been  carried  in  triumph  within  the  build- 
ing. They  rode  back  and  forth  over  the  prairie,  in 
front  of  the  house,  as  though  they  were  bewildered,  and 
at  a  loss  what  to  do.  Red  Plume  and  old  Jud  atten- 
tively watched  them,  and  when  one  of  their  horsemen 
galloped  up  to  within  a  few  rods  of  the  door,  they  saw 
that  he  wished  to  parley  with  them.  He  held  up  both 
hands,  as  evidence  that  he  carried  no  weapons. 

"  Will  Red  Plume  come  forth  and  talk  with  his 
brother?  "  he  asked,  in  the  Sioux  tongue. 

The  Indian  unhesitatingly  stepped  forth  from  the 
building,  and  advanced  half-way  to  the  horseman. 

"  What  does  my  brother  wish  ?  " 

"  Leaping  Panther,  the  great  chief  of  the  Sioux  na- 
tion, is  wounded  and  in  the  power  of  Red  Plume." 

"  Red  Plume  took  him  prisoner." 

"  The  Sioux  warriors  are  bowed  with  grief,  for  their 
chief  is  with  them  no  more.  We  will  give  six  of  our 
best  horses  if  Red  Plume  will  send  Leaping  Panther 
back  to  his  people." 

"  We  want  no  horses,"  replied  Red  Plume,  "  for  the 
Sioux  have  more  than  we,  and  they  could  do  us  no 
good." 

"  We  will  give  you  horses  that  will  carry  you  to  the 
fort,  and  the  Sioux  warriors  shall  harm  no  one,  if  Leap- 
ing Panther  comes  back  to  us." 

"  Leaping  Panther  shall  go  back  to  his  warriors,  if 
they  will  go  away  and  allow  us  to  pass  over  the  prairie 
to  the  great  fort/' 


373  THE  RED  PLUME 

The  emissary  immediately  closed  with  this  offer,  and 
rode  back  to  his  companions  to  acquaint  them  with  the 
good  news. 

Red  Plume  now  made  known  his  plans.  Upon  the 
return  of  the  messenger,  he  would  accept  his  offer,  but 
make  the  condition  that  the  Sioux  should  retire  over  a 
hill  a  short  distance  away,  and  there  await  the  coming 
of  their  chief,  who  would  be  conducted  to  the  top  by 
Red  Plume  himself.  If  these  conditions  were  agreed 
to,  the  Indian  intended  to  send  the  fugitives  out  of  the 
house  the  very  instant  the  Sioux  were  beyond  sight, 
and  they  were  to  take  a  round  about  way  to  the  woods 
and  the  fort. 

Only  a  few  minutes  elapsed,  when  the  Sioux  messen- 
ger returned,  riding  still  closer  to  the  door,  while  the 
rest  of  the  horsemen  hovered  several  hundred  yards 
away. 

Red  Plume  waited  with  an  assumption  of  indiffer- 
ence for  the  savage  to  renew  the  conference. 

"  If  Red  Plume  will  return  Leaping  Panther  to  his 
warriors,  then  shall  he  and  his  friends  go  to  the  big 
fort  without  harm." 

"  If  my  brethren  will  go  over  yonder  hill,  and  re- 
main, then  will  I  bring  Leaping  Panther  to  them." 

These  conditions  were  not  exactly  pleasant,  but  they 
could  not  help  themselves,  and  they  announced  their 
acceptance. 

As  the  messenger  was  about  riding  away,  Red  Plume 
called  to  him,  and  insinuated  that,  as  Leaping  Panther 


THE  RED  PLUME  379 

was  pretty  badly  wounded,  he  would  like  a  horse  to  as- 
sist in  carrying  him  back.  This  was  another  rather 
impudent  demand,  which  was  submitted  to  somewhat 
reluctantly. 

The  savage  dismounted,  and  Red  Plume  advanced 
and  took  his  animal,  leading  him  back  to  the  house, 
where  there  was  quite  a  party  deeply  interested  in  the 
proceedings. 

Red  Plume  and  his  friends  watched  the  messenger  as 
he  ran  rapidly  back  to  where  the  main  body  were  await- 
ing him.  There  he  paused,  and  he  could  be  seen  con- 
sulting earnestly  with  them. 

Suddenly,  the  whole  band  turned  about  and  rode  to 
the  hill,  and  vanished  over  the  top. 

The  minute  they  had  disappeared,  old  Jud  said : 

"  Now  make  yourselves  ready." 

There  were  few  preparations  to  make,  and  such  as 
they  were  they  were  completed  almost  as  soon  as  the 
command  itself. 

Red  Plume  now  placed  his  animal  between  the  door 
and  the  place  where  he  judged  their  enemies  to  be. 
Then  he  and  old  Jud  stepped  out,  bearing,  or,  rather, 
helping  to  support  the  suffering  chief  between  them 
By  this  means  the  view  of  the  Sioux  was  effectually 
shut  off  from  the  door. 

The  minute  matters  were  put  in  shape,  the  word  was 
given  for  the  fugitives  to  start. 

They  had  been  apprised  of  the  danger  they  ran,  and 
fully  instructed  as  to  what  they  should  do.  So  they 


380  THE  RED  PLUME 

stole  out  like  so  many  phantoms,  one  by  one,  until  they 
had  all  vanished  out  of  sight  behind  the  building. 

Here  every  one  of  them  sank  upon  his  hands  and 
knees,  and  began  crawling  away,  keeping  the  house  so 
far  as  possible  between  them  and  the  suspicious  eleva- 
tion that  had  been  pointed  out  by  old  Jud,  just  before 
starting. 

Some  ten  minutes  were  frittered  away  in  assisting 
Leaping  Panther  to  the  horse,  and  getting  him  ready  to 
mount.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  matters  were  deftly 
arranged,  so  that  old  Jud  slunk  out  of  sight,  and  fol- 
lowed hard  after  his  friends,  without  any  Sioux  on  the 
hilltop  suspecting  what  was  going  on. 

After  an  extraordinary  amount  of  labor,  Leaping 
Panther  was  fairly  astride  the  animal ;  but  it  was  mani- 
fest that  the  position  caused  him  great  pain,  so  Red 
Plume  pulled  him  off,  and  assisted  him  up  on  the  other 
side,  not  helping  the  unfortunate  fellow  much,  but 
gaining  a  few  minutes'  precious  time,  which  was  all 
that  he  expected  or  cared  to  do. 

At  last  the  two  were  astride  the  animal;  and  what 
with  the  several  delays  that  had  occurred  it  was  fully 
half  an  hour  since  our  friends  had  started.  Any  fur- 
ther delay  would  excite  the  suspicion  of  those  in  wait- 
ing. 

Still,  Red  Plume  advanced  with  great  tardiness  until 
he  had  begun  to  ascend  the  hill,  when  one  of  the  Sioux 
rode  over  the  hill  as  if  to  meet  him.  The  captor  in- 
stantly halted  and  waved  him  back. 


THE  RED  PLUME  381 

His  gesture  was  obeyed,  and  when  he  had  disap- 
peared, Red  Plume  resumed  his  journey.  Reaching 
the  top,  he  saw  the  Sioux  drawn  up  in  a  body. 

He  sat  motionless  upon  his  horse,  until  everything 
was  in  shape  to  suit  him.  Then,  suddenly  lifting  Leap- 
ing Panther  from  his  horse,  he  dropped  him  to  the 
ground,  wheeled  about  and  galloped  down  the  hill  at 
the  top  of  his  horse's  speed. 

So  suddenly  was  this  done,  that  he  had  well  nigh 
reached  the  cabin  ere  his  movement  was  fully  compre- 
hended. Observing  their  leader  fall  to  the  ground  they 
supposed  he  had  been  killed,  and  dashed  forward  to  see. 
But  a  few  seconds  were  sufficient  to  convince  them  that 
Red  Plume  had  honestly  kept  his  bargain. 

The  instant  Leaping  Panther  could  make  himself 
heard,  he  told  his  warriors  that  the  whites  had  already 
fled,  and  ordered  them  to  be  pursued. 

They  lost  no  time  in  following  Red  Plume,  and  when 
the  pursuing  horsemen  reached  the  top,  they  saw  him 
speeding  across  the  prairie,  straight  ahead  in  a  direction 
at  right  angles  to  the  one  taken  by  the  fugitives,  and 
while  some  followed,  others  rode  up  to  the  house  to 
make  sure  that  their  chief  was  not  mistaken.  They 
were  speedily  satisfied  on  that  point. 

Red  Plume's  object  was  to  draw  the  Sioux  away 
from  the  whites,  but  he  failed.  They  suspected  the 
ruse,  and  while  some  followed  him,  others  went  right 
and  left,  it  so  happening  that  some  six  or  eight  of  them 
took  precisely  the  route  by  which  they  had  attempted 
to  escape. 


382  THE  RED  PLUME 

It  was  a  cruel  lot  that  condemned  our  friends  to  be 
trifled  with  by  fortune,  as  they  were  now  doomed  to  be. 
They  had  gone  so  far  on  their  hands  and  knees,  that 
they  had  deemed  it  safe  to  rise  to  their  feet,  when  they 
hurried  forward  with  all  the  speed  of  which  they  were 
capable. 

Old  Jud,  as  usual,  took  the  lead,  and  behind  him  came 
the  others,  the  females  bearing  themselves  like  heroines, 
and  no  one  complaining. 

Old  Jud  was  not  acquainted  with  this  section,  but  he 
knew  the  general  direction  to  be  followed,  and  he  did  it 
to  the  best  of  his  ability. 

Something  like  a  furlong  intervened  between  them 
and  the  forest,  when  they  saw  his  scared  face,  as  he 
looked  back  and  exclaimed : 

"  There  they  come !     Make  for  the  woods !  " 

At  the  same  instant  they  heard  the  whoops  behind 
them,  and  all  started  to  run.  There  was  a  prospect  of 
gaining  the  cover  of  the  trees,  from  which  they  might 
defend  themselves,  and  they  sped  over  the  ground  with 
the  men  supporting  and  encouraging  the  females,  and 
all  still  hopeful. 

"Stop!"  commanded  the  hunter;  "it's  all  up! 
there's  no  use  of  gain'  any  further! " 

He  pointed  toward  the  wood,  from  which  the  horri- 
fied whites  saw  another  party  of  horsemen  issuing  di- 
rectly in  front  of  them.  They  were  thus  between  two 
companies,  and  to  escape  from  both  was  a  moral  im- 
possibility ! 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

THE   END 

THE  despairing  exclamation  had  hardly  escaped  the 
hunter,  when  Colonel  Havens  flung  his  hat  high  in  air 
and  shouted: 

"  Saved !  saved !  saved !  " 

At  the  same  time  he  danced  about  like  a  xnadman, 
and  the  next  instant  Captain  Swartfiausert  and  Augus- 
tus Pipkins  imitated  him. 

For  out  of  the  darkness  of  the  wood  came,  not 
twenty  mounted  Sioux,  but  twenty  mounted  soldiers 
on  a  full  gallop.  The  Otter  had  made  all  haste  to  Fort 
Grandon  with  the  tidings  that  Colonel  Havens  was  sur- 
rounded by  Indians,  and  unless  a  large  force  was  sent 
to  his  relief,  his  death  was  certain,  and  the  commandant 
sent  twenty  of  his  best  Indian  fighters,  not  knowing 
that  the  fate  of  the  colonel  was  inextricably  interwoven 
with  that  of  a  certain  band  of  fugitives. 

Simultaneous  with  the  discovery  of  their  friends,  the 
soldiers  fired  a  volley  at  the  approaching  Sioux. 

The  sudden  onset  of  the  white  horsemen  created  an 
instant  panic  among  the  Sioux,  who  wheeled  about, 
like  a  flash,  and  thundered  away  over  the  prairie,  bear- 
ing a  number  of  dead  and  dying  with  them. 

383 


384  THE  RED  PLUME 

In  the  space  of  ten  minutes  not  a  hostile  Indian  was 
to  be  seen.  And  the  relief  had  not  come  a  moment  too 
soon.  Wearied  and  exhausted;  tortured  by  anxiety 
and  fear ;  now  revived  by  sudden  hope,  then  paralyzed 
by  despair,  the  fugitives  were  scarcely  able  to  walk. 

The  Oiter  gave  up  his  horse  to  Colonel  Havens,  who 
took  Lillian  Prescott  in  front  of  him,  while  the  first 
seated  himself  behind  Red  Plume.  Some  kind  hearted 
frontiersman  made  a  similar  arrangement,  by  which 
Fielding  and  Edith  were  supported  by  another,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Prescott  upon  another,  Captain  Swarthausen 
and  old  Jud  upon  another,  Augustus  Pipkins  and  Cato 
upon  still  another,  and  so  the  whole  party  at  last  were 
mounted,  and  turned  their  faces  toward  Fort  Grandon. 

Something  like  a  couple  of  miles  still  intervened,  and 
they  were  slowly  progressing,  when,  to  their  great  sur- 
prise and  delight,  they  came  suddenly  upon  old  Dinah, 
who  had  been  lying  concealed  in  the  woods,  and  hear- 
ing them  laughing  and  talking,  had  hastened  to  join 
them.  After  an  affectionate  meeting  with  her  son  Cato, 
she  was  hoisted  upon  the  back  of  a  powerful  beast,  and 
they  started  off  again. 

With  such  a  strong  escort,  our  friends  bade  farewell 
to  all  fear,  and  Fort  Grandon  was  reached  an  hour  later 
without  any  disturbance  from  the  Sioux,  who  were 
hovering  in  the  wood. 

The  subsequent  history  of  the  Minnesota  Massacres 
is  too  well  known  to  need  further  reference  here. 

When  safety  had  again  been  restored  to  Minnesota* 


THE  RED  PLUME  385 

the  principal  ones  of  those  whose  fortunes  we  have  fol- 
lowed for  a  time,  returned  to  Sleeping  Water  Lake,  and 
again  reared  their  houses  and  established  their  homes. 

The  parents  of  Fielding  the  Friend  occupied  a  pleas- 
ant little  cottage,  and  near  them  dwelt  their  beloved 
son  and  daughter. 

Augustus  Pipkins,  at  last  accounts,  was  still  unmar- 
ried and  engaged  in  life  insurance  business  in  Chicago. 

Captain  Swarthausen  was  now  a  colonel  in  the  regu- 
lar army,  which,  he  affirmed,  was  the  culminating  point 
of  his  ambition.  When  away  from  his  duty,  which  is 
indeed  rare,  he  makes  his  home  in  the  "Bird's  Nest," 
as  he  calls  the  delightful  little  cottage,  where  the  gen- 
eral and  his  wife  Lillian,  and  their  mischievous  young 
heir  (named  after  the  old  veteran)  consider  themselves 
so  happy  that  they  envy  no  man  or  woman  on  earth. 

Jubal  Judkins,  or  "Old  Jud,"  as  he  was  more  famil- 
iarly termed,  was  killed  several  months  afterward, 
while  serving  as  a  scout  upon  a  military  expedition.  He 
received  a  soldier's  burial,  and  more  than  one  bronzed 
face  was  moistened  with  tears,  as  they  laid  the  honest 
fellow  away  in  the  ground,  there  to  take  his  long,  last 
sleep. 

Red  Plume  and  Otter  moved  further  west  before  the 
advancing  tide  of  civilization,  and  all  subsequent  record 
of  them  has  been  lost. 

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-^     SELECTED  WORKS  OF 

JUJGENE  FIELD 

A  VERY  ATTRACTIVE 
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R.  W.  Emerson 

Girls'  Birthday  Book 
H.  W.  Longfellow 
Sands  of  Time 

Wm.  Shakespeare 
Alfred  Tennyson 

Jno.  G.  Whittier 


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BB°YOKS  MRS.  E.  D.  E.  N. 

SOUTHWORTH 

AN     ATTRACTIVE     LIST     OF     THE 
WORKS  OF  THIS  POPULAR  AUTHOR 


THE  first  eighteen  titles  with  brackets  are  books 
with  sequels,  "Victor's  Triumph,"  being  a  sequel 
to  "Beautiful  Fiend,"  etc.    They  are  all  printed 
from  large,  clear  type  on  a  superior  quality  of  flexible 
paper  and  bound  in  English  vellum  cloth,  assorted  col- 
ors, containing  charming  female  heads  lithographed  in 
twelve  colors,  as  inlays;  the  titles  being  stamped  in 
harmonizing  colors  of  ink  or  foil.     Cloth,  12mo  size. 

f  1  Beautiful  Fiend,  A  26  Discarded  Daughter,  The 

!  Victor's  Triumph  27  Doom  of  Deville,  The 

f  3  Bride's  Fate  ya  Eudora 

1  4  Changed  Brides 

f  5  Cruel  as  the  Grave  ??  £atal  *»"*•  A 

\  6  Tried  for  Her  Life  30  Fortune  Seeker 

f  7  Fair  Play  31  Gypsy's  Prophecy 

t  8  How  He  Won  Her  32  Haunted  Homestead 

f  9  Family  Doom  33  India;  or,  The  Pearl  of 

1 10  Maiden  Widow  Pearl  River 

(11  Hidden  Hand,  The  34  Lady  of  the  Isle,  The 

Capitola's  Peril  35  Lost  Heiress,  The 

{\4  Seftalsed  »  ^'s  L*b°J  W°n 

f  15  Lost  Heir  of  Linlithgow  ^issmg  Bride,  The 

116  Noble  Lord,  A  38  Mother-in-Law 

f  17  Unknown  39  Prince  of  Darkness,  and 

1 18  Mystery  of  Raven  Rocks  Artist's  Love 

19  Bridal  Eve,  The  *°  Retribution 

20  Bride's  Dowry,  The  41  Tnree  Beauties,  The 

21  Bride  of  Llewellyn,  The  42  Three  Sisters,  The 

22  Broken  Engagement,  The  43  Two  Sisters,  The 

23  Christmas  Guest,  The  44  Vivian 

24  Curse  of  Clifton  45  Widow's  Son 

25  Deserted  Wife,  The  46  Wife's  Victory 

All  of  the  above  books  may  be  had  at  the  store  where  this 
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Thrilling,  Interesting, 
Instructive  Books,  by 


No  boy's  library  is  complete  unless  it  contains  all  of 
the  books  by  that  charming,  delightful  writer  of  boys' 
stories  of  adventure,  EDWARD  S.  ELLIS.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  titles,  uniform  in  size,  style  and  binding: 

1.  Life  of  Kit  Carson 

2.  Lone  Wolf  Cave 

3.  Star  of  India 

4.  The  Boy  Captive 

5.  The  Red  Plume 

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this  book  was  bought,  or  will  be  sent  postage  prepaid 
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